Treasure Planet: The Next Generation
by Wherever Girl
Summary: We all know the story of Treasure Planet, but what happens to our heroes AFTER the adventure, hmm? A glimpse of the future well, future’s future, considering the setting of the movie .
1. Chapter 1: Jim's new treasure

We all know the story of Treasure Planet, but what happens to our heroes AFTER the adventure, hmm? A glimpse of the future (well, future's future, considering the setting of the movie).

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the original TP characters. (If I did, that would be awesome). Only the OC. So… let's get this story rolling!

* * *

The sun rose over the city and through the window into the hospital room, occupied by Natalie Hawkins. The young woman stretched and ran her hand through her blonde hair, then opened her emerald-green eyes, peering out the window. _Sunrise already? _she thought, then grabbed a remote by her bed, clicking a button that automatically closed the shades over the windows, replacing the sunrise with a moonlit-night scene. _That's better. _She laid back down in bed, ready to go back to sleep, until something across the room caught her eye.

Her husband sat in a chair, resting his head on his hand, asleep. A strand of his brown hair had fallen in his face, covering his left eye. He let out a small snore, causing Natalie to chuckle.

"Rise and shine, Jim." She said, getting up from her bed and lightly tapping his shoulder. "Time to get up."

"Zzz… Huh? What?" Jim answered, opening his deep blue eyes then, shaking himself awake, stared at his wife in shock. "Natalie! You shouldn't be up! You just-"

"I know." Natalie said with a light chuckle. " 'Went through over 4 hours of labor.' James, I'm fine. I've been through worst on voyages."

"Honey, I doubt that _any_ voyage I've ever taken you on has _ever_ caused you _that_ much pain."

"You underestimate me, darling." Natalie said, faking shock.

"You were screaming loud enough for everyone in Kinapis to hear!"

Natalie tussled her husband's hair. "Well, it's not as easy as outwitting a band of pirates, is it?"

Jim smirked. "It wasn't as easy as it sounds." He leaned in and kissed his wife on the lips.

"C'mon, let's go see how your daughter is doing." Natalie said, wrapping her arm around Jim's waist as they left the room.

Jim Hawkins and Natalie Crow had met on a voyage over a year ago. Natalie was a financier who hired Jim and his crew to deliver a cargo of celestial bronze to Planet Kilgany. Some call it love at first sight, who spotted Jim and Natalie walking arm-in-arm onto the port after the voyage, while the crew called it unusual, bringing up how the couple had complained about what course to take, and how Natalie kept wandering off at certain stops, delaying the trip.

They never did go into the details of the entire voyage, since the experience was exhausting enough, and also because Jim began to feel tired of having to spill out every detail of his voyages, with his trip to Treasure Planet being the most popular.

Instead, they decided to speak of the voyage only around close friends and family members, and they were saving their story for someone extra special…

"Isn't she beautiful?" Natalie said to Jim as they looked through the glass at their newborn daughter, lying in the hospital nursery.

"Yes, just like you." Jim replied, smiling and pulling his wife close.

A metallic clinking noise came down the hall, and Jim and Natalie turned, only to see BEN rushing up to them, followed by Morph, Sarah Hawkins, and the Doppler family.

"Oh, you guys! I'm so happy for you!" BEN exclaimed, hugging the couple. He grabbed Jim's hand and began to shake it. "Congratulations, Jimmy! Oh, I can't wait to see your-" the robot looked through the window, and his jaw dropped at seeing all the infants. "Wow, Jimmy. You've been… busy. Now I know why Natalie was screaming all night! Whoof!"

"They're not all ours, BEN." Jim said with a chuckle. "Only that one." He pointed to a small, blonde-haired baby wrapped in pink blankets.

"Oh, Jim, she's beautiful." Sarah said, gazing at her granddaughter while hugging her son.

"Beautiful." Morph repeated, flying up to Jim's shoulder.

"Well, she gets it from me." Natalie said, smiling.

"So, Jim, how does it feel to finally be a father?" Delbert asked, patting Jim on the back.

Jim smiled and looked over at his daughter. He was worried, at first, about having a child of his own and being a spacer. Then again, he knew he would handle it, and take good care of his daughter like a father should. This was the direction in life he decided to go, and he was going to stick with it, no matter what.

He learned that from a good friend.

"It feels great." Jim replied, answering Delbert. "Like rediscovering a hidden treasure, only more remarkable."

"Only this time, it's a life-long voyage in which you must take full responsibility." Amelia said, then smiled and pulled her own children close. "I should know."

"Your daughter is very pretty, James." Elizabeth Doppler, the redhead of the triplet felinid daughters, said as she looked at the infant.

"I like her hair." April Doppler, the blonde felinid daughter, said as she stepped up next to her sister and peered into the nursery.

"Only because it's the same colors as yours." Valerie Doppler, the black-haired felinid daughter, sneered at her sister as she looked at Jim's daughter.

"She's quite more radiant than the rest of the infants." Eric Doppler, the canidid son said as he looked at the baby.

"Thank you, kids." Natalie said.

"So, what are you going to name her?" April asked Jim.

Natalie and Jim looked at each other, realizing they hadn't gone over any names for their child just yet.

"Why don't you pick?" Natalie said with a smile, nudging Jim.

Jim looked at his daughter again. _Like rediscovering a hidden treasure, only more remarkable. _his words echoed in his head, and he grinned as the perfect name came to mind.

"Tesoro." Jim said. "Tess for short."

"Tesoro?" Valerie repeated.

"Tesoro!" Morph exclaimed, zooming up to the window and darting left and right, eager to meet the newborn.

"I think it's a beautiful name." Elizabeth said with a twirl.

"A beautiful name, for a beautiful girl." Natalie said, resting her head on Jim's shoulder.

"And a beautiful beginning." Jim added silently, smiling at his daughter.

* * *

A/N: And the first chapter is complete! I'd like to inform you that this is my first TP fanfic, so give me a break if you don't like it.

By the way, "Tesoro" is Italian for "treasure", since that's what Jim thinks of his daughter as.


	2. Chapter 2: Bedtime Story

And here's chapter two! Sorry for the wait… please don't hurt me!

Disclaimer: I don't own Treasure Planet, otherwise I'd be doing back-flips for joy.

* * *

_5 years later…_

Tess and Natalie watched through the window as Jim's ship headed off into the Etherium on another voyage. Natalie hugged her daughter as she climbed onto her lap.

"When will daddy be back, mommy?" Tess asked, looking at her mother with big, blue eyes.

"He'll be back in a few weeks, honey." Natalie assured. "Just like always."

Natalie knew Jim wouldn't be gone long. She heard stories of how his father had left and never came back, and he vowed to never do the same thing to Tess. "I'm not my father," Jim had told her one day when he was going on a voyage. "I'll always come back."

"Where is he going this time, mommy?" Tess asked, interrupting her mother's thoughts.

"He's just making a delivery to Planet Shiza. Now, c'mon, it's time for bed."

Natalie carried her daughter up to her bedroom. She turned on the light, revealing that the room was decorated with posters, figurines, and crayon-drawn pictures of planets and space-whales, Tess's favorite animal. One poster, which hung over Tess's bed, was of Treasure Planet.

"Will you tell me a story tonight? Please?"

"Oh, can those eyes get any bigger?" Natalie said with a chuckle, quoting a phrase her mother-in-law, Sarah, would always say to Jim when he was Tess's age. "Of course, sweetheart. What story would you like me to tell you, tonight?"

"Tell me the story of how you and daddy fell in love. It's my favorite."

"Okay." Natalie sat by her daughter. "Let's see… I believe it started on our first voyage…"

* * *

"James Hawkins, I presume?" The blonde-haired woman asked the brown-haired man.

"You are correct. You wouldn't happen to be Natalie Crow, would you?" Jim asked.

"In fact, I am. Is everything prepared for our trip?" Natalie asked.

"Of course." Jim replied, guiding Natalie across the deck up to the helm. "Everything is loaded in the cargo-hold, safe and-"

KA-BOOM!

Smoke poured out from the galley, and out stumbled the ship's cook, Louigi. He was an Italian man with a handle-bar mustache and smooth, jet-black combed hair… and was covered from head to toe in soot.

"Louigi! What happened?" Jim asked, rushing down to the cook.

"I have no idea!" Louigi sputtered, coughing out smoke and wiping soot from his face with his apron. "One minute, I am cooking a nice tortellini dish, then all of a sudden, BOOM! The oven top explodes for no reason at all!"

Jim walked down to the galley, waving away smoke. When he reached the stove, he examined the scene, then saw something he was expecting on the floor.

Walking back on deck, he held the bottle out to Louigi. "No reason at all, huh?" Jim asked sarcastically.

Natalie read the bottle label: "Louigi's Extra-Spicy Spice" "What is that?" she asked.

"Oh, just Lou's home-made explosive pepper." Jim replied, staring strictly at Louigi. "I thought I told you no 'special ingredients' on the ship!"

"Bah! You criticize my perfection!" Louigi scoffed.

"Just don't use it anymore, okay?" Jim said, almost pleadingly. "I don't want anyone's stomachs becoming live-bombs."

"Whatever you say, Jim… Er, I mean, _Captain_ Jim." With that, the cook walked back down to the galley to clean up the mess.

"You hired _that_ guy to be our cook for this voyage?" Natalie asked Jim.

"Hey, he was the only one at the Interstellar Academy who got the highest grade in cooking… surprisingly." Jim replied. "Besides, once you get to know him, he's not so bad."

"I'm starting to worry about our trip." Natalie shuddered.

"Oh, don't worry. Come watch the launch with me, it'll be amazing." Jim began guiding Natalie back up to the helm. "I assure you, Natalie, you'll have nothing to worry about."

"I wouldn't be so sure. And, for the record, I prefer you to address me as 'Miss Crow', Mr. Hawkins."

"Whatever… Miss Crow." Jim rolled his eyes. "Have you've ever been on a ship before?"

"Only once or twice, but that was only when I went to an Interstellar Academy for girls. It was part of one of our courses to sail from the school to the Spaceport as a practice run for each semester. Have you ever had any of those at your school?"

"Of course!" Jim lied. His school never let its students actually have a practice run on a ship. _Oh, well. _he thought. _I already had a practice run… before I went to the Academy._

"I couldn't help but understand you were a cabin boy on the voyage to Treasure Planet five years ago." Natalie said, out of the blue. "The one who saved everyone and discovered Flint's trove?"

Jim rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, that was me…" he said, modestly.

"I'd like to hear about it. I've heard rumors, but I know it would be a different story straight from the source."

"Captain, are we ready to launch?" Jim's first mate, a stout, four-armed blue alien named Gene Oflam called up to him.

"Uh, yeah." Jim said, turning to Gene. "Prepare to launch, Mr. Oflam!"

"ALL HANDS TO STATIONS!" Gene called, his voice loud enough to be heard from all over the Etherium, then he turned back to Jim. "And just call me Gene, dude. I mean, for goodness sakes, we're the same age! I feel old when you call me by my last name, Jim… Or should I say, _Mr. Hawkins?_"

Jim chuckled. "Mr. Hawkins is my father, _Gene_." he said. "It's just Jim… Or Captain."

"Aye, aye, Jim." Gene said with a salute.

"You really know how to pick a crew." Natalie said sarcastically. "Tell me, are most of the men on this ship classmates of yours from the Academy, or is it just Louigi and Gene?"

"Nah, most of them are just friends I made on different voya-" Jim said, then paused, realizing he had a ship to launch and the crew was awaiting his orders. "Uh, we'll continue this conversation later." With that, he left Natalie.

"Whatever you say… Jim." Natalie said, mostly to herself. She stood poised as the ship rised, cutting off the gravity and causing everything- and everyone- to float, including herself. When the artificial gravity came back on, she landed gracefully to her feet in the same position, as if she had never floated at all.

Louigi, however, didn't have so much luck. There was a loud CRASH!, and the cook stumbled out with a cooking pot on his head, yelling angrily in Italian.

Natalie rolled her eyes and pulled the pot off Louigi's head. "You should be more careful." she said, trying to restrain a chuckle.

"I don't see why they don't engage the artificial gravity _before_ we prepare to launch." Louigi sputtered, brushing himself off. "It would save a lot of time… and pain."

"So you've sailed before, huh?" Natalie asked.

"No, but we studied about sailing at the Academy." Louigi said. "I wrote a paper on what would make it easier, and turning on the gravity before the launch was at the top of the list!"

"So, it's your first time sailing?"

"Of course! Can you not tell?" Louigi sighed. "It's that obvious, I assume. I mean, for heaven's sakes, I was meant to be a chef, not a sailor! …Though, I wish I could be one."

Natalie looked at Louigi. His statement took her by surprise. "Do you, really?"

"What is this, 20 questions? Of course I do! That's why I went to the Academy, that's why I trained! …But all I ended up being good at was cooking and making things explode higher than a kalaspian kite. (Sigh)."

"Oh, don't get yourself down, Louigi. I'm sure you'd be a great sailor."

"You really think so?" Louigi asked doubtfully, though his eyes showed hope.

"I know-"

"Brace yourselves! We're about to launch!" Jim called from the upper deck.

Natalie, who was familiar with launches, took a sturdy position. The ship blasted off with a heavy thrust, but she stood her ground. Louigi, on the other hand, flew back and landed in a pile of barrels. He shouted something in Italian, and though Natalie didn't speak the language, she knew it couldn't have been good.

Walking over, she helped the cook up. "You still think I'd be a good sailor?" Louigi scoffed.

"You'll get there, don't worry." Natalie assured. "Who knows? Experience of an actual voyage may help you."

Louigi sighed, half-heartedly. "I surely hope so, Miss Crow. I surely hope so."

* * *

Tess giggled. "He really blew up a stove?" she asked.

"Well, not the _whole_ stove, surprisingly." Natalie said. She looked at the clock on her daughter's nightstand. It read 9:30. "We'll continue the story another night, okay? Right now, it's time for you to get to bed."

"Do you think daddy will let us go on his next voyage with him?"

"Why don't you ask him when he gets back." Natalie then tussled her daughter's blonde hair. "But, if he does let us, you won't have enough energy to go if you don't get some shut-eye."

"Oh, okay." Tess let out a yawn. " 'Nighty-night, mom."

"Good night, sweetheart." Natalie clicked off the lights. "I love you."

"I love you too." Tess said, drifting to sleep as her mother shut her bedroom door.

* * *

A/N: And there you have it! I figured I should include a bit of how Natalie and Jim got together, and I'll include a bit more of it as the story goes on (such as flashbacks). Please R/R. Those who send flames shall be burned.


	3. Chapter 3: A family voyage

And already chapter 3 is up! …Apparently this proves I don't have much else to do.

A bit of credit to Naval, who gave me a bit of advice to improve my writing. (thanks)

Disclaimer: I don't own Treasure Planet, just the characters I made up.

* * *

Jim opened the door quietly, not wanting to wake up Natalie or Tess. He didn't tell them that he'd come home early, in order to give them a surprise. Shutting the door as silently as possible, he began tip-toeing across the room-

"JIIIIIIIIIIIMM!" A high-pitched voice squealed, and soon Jim's face was covered with kisses from Morph.

"Morph, shh." Jim whispered, pressing his finger to his lips. "You'll wake up everybody."

Morph chirped in apology, rubbing against his friend's cheek. He always missed Jim when he took off, yet he found it was his responsibility to watch over the household while his master was gone… at least, that's what he believed.

Jim tickled Morph with his index finger. "Don't worry about it. How has our girls been?"

Morph turned into a hand and gave Jim a thumbs-up.

"That's good." Jim climbed upstairs to his bedroom. Seeing Natalie asleep, he snuck across to the bed, slipped off his boots and jacket, and climbed underneath the covers-

"Home so soon?" Natalie asked, sleepily.

Jim sighed. "It was going to be a surprise, but yes."

"Surprise or not… I'm just glad you're back, and Tess will be, too." Natalie leaned over and kissed her husband on the cheek.

Jim smiled and lied down, drifting to sleep, when…

"Mommy! Mommy! Wake up!" Tess called, running into the room and jumping onto her parents' bed. Her mother turned on the lamp. "I just saw a boat land in the harbor and-" Tess turned, facing Jim, and- like Morph- squealed with delight. "Daddy, you're home!" She jumped into her father's arms, trapping him in a tight hug. "Oh, I'm so glad you're back! I just want to hug you and squeeze you!"

"Something tells me you've been hanging out with BEN." Jim chuckled, gasping in his daughter's tight grip. "Uh, Tess? Daddy needs to breathe."

"Oh, sorry!" Tess released Jim. "Gosh, daddy, you've only been gone a couple weeks! How come you're home so early?"

"Turns out the delivery was cancelled, so I got to come home early." He stretched. "And now, (yawn) I need to take another voyage… off to dreamland." Jim lied down, drifting off to sleep.

"Before you go daddy, can I ask you something?"

Jim opened one sleepy eye and looked at his daughter with a smile. "Sure, Tess, go ahead."

"Can we go with you on your next voyage? Pleeeeeeaaaaaaaase?"

Both of Jim's eyes popped open and he sat up. "Uh, say that again, sweetie?"

"Can we… go on… your next voyage… with _you?_" Tess pronounced each word slowly, to make sure her father understood.

Jim looked at Natalie, who shrugged, then turned back to his daughter. She stared at him with her big blue eyes. _Oh, boy. _he thought. _Now I know how Mom felt when I used the same look on her. _

"Oh, I guess." Jim said in surrender. "But it'll have to be a short one. I don't want us all to be away from home _too_ long."

"Did you hear that, mommy?" Tess squealed. "He said yes! Hooraaaaay!"

"Yay!" Morph squealed, swirling around Tess' head. He turned into a hand and gave her a high-five.

"C'mon, Morph! Let's go pack!" Tess ran out of the room and down the hall, followed by Morph. Jim and Natalie could hear their ecstatic whoops and laughter from their bedroom.

"So, when should I tell her I won't be getting another voyage for a few months?" Jim asked his wife, chuckling.

Natalie tensed. "Um, actually Jim, there's something you need to know…" she said, rubbing the back of her neck. "You see, a letter came from Captain Amelia yesterday. She wants you to join her on a voyage."

If Jim were drinking water, he would have done a spit-take at the news. "What? Why?"

"She said it was urgent business, and that she wants you to meet her about it as soon as you got home… which, ironically, would be now."

Jim sighed and put his face in the palm of his hand. "It never fails. I get back from one trip and suddenly I have to go on another."

Tess came running back in. "Hey, daddy, do you think I should pack a sword, in case we meet any pirates?"

Jim chuckled. He loved how his daughter had a sense of adventure… just like him. "No, honey, I don't think you'll need one."

"But what if the ship is captured by pirates?" Tess climbed on top of her parent's bedpost. "What if they sneak up on us and swoop in on deck.." she jumped off the bedpost onto the mattress, rolling and tangling herself in the blankets. "And hold everyone prisoner?"

"Well, you'd have nothing to worry about, Tess," Natalie said. "With your dad on board, he'd fight off those pirates," she pulled her daughter out from the blankets, swinging her up in the air. "And he'd free us all."

Tess giggled as Natalie tickled her tummy. "Yeah, no pirates could beat daddy!"

"Okay, you little spacer. Better get back to bed. We've got a long day tomorrow."

"Alright. Good night! Love you!"

"Love you too, sweetheart." Jim said with a smile.

As Tesoro ran out of the room, Jim and Natalie collapsed in bed, turning out the light and getting back to sleep. Yet, Jim couldn't help but wonder what kind of urgent business Amelia had in store for him.

* * *

_The next day…_

"Hey, Tess!" April called, running up to the young 5-year-old. "You wanna come with us? Valerie and I are going down to the galley to sneak some food before the launch."

"Not so loud, dummy!" Valerie hissed. "You want to blow the operation?"

"Sorry."

"Sure!" Tess replied. "What do you want me to do?"

"Hmm," Valerie looked Tess up and down, circling her like a military commander. "You're a bit short, so you wouldn't be much help with us for raiding the cupboards. And you're not too strong, either… I know! You can be the lookout!"

"Okay! …Um, what's a lookout?"

Valerie rolled her eyes. "It's the person who stands guard, in case anyone comes by. You stay out here, and come get us if someone approaches."

Tess saluted. "Aye, aye, ma'am!" She stood outside by the stairs as April and Valerie snuck down to the galley, looking around the deck. She saw Eric and Elizabeth standing by their father at the helm, bickering about something it seems. The two always seemed to argue about something, whether it was about games, school, or what TV show to watch.

Looking further, she saw the sailors move around deck, preparing everything for the launch- checking the sales, hoisting cargo onto the ship, and many other tasks. Tess watched them all in amazement, trying to keep track of every little thing they did. _I hope I become a spacer someday. _she thought, wishfully. _It all seems fun!_

She looked over, and suddenly saw her father and mother walking into the Captain's quarter's. Last night, before she had burst into their bedroom, she overheard her mother mention something about "urgent business". Overcome with curiosity, Tess walked over to the door, which was slightly open by a crack, and eavesdropped on the conversation.

"Escaped? But how?" Jim seed to be asking. He and Natalie sat in a couple of chairs across the desk from Amelia, who seemed to be a bit troubled.

"We don't know." Amelia sighed, resting her hand on her forehead. "One minute, he was behind a cell, and the next minute two guards were down and the window was smashed. …I tried to catch up to him but… he fled without a trace."

Jim could see how depressed Amelia was about the situation. She was in charge of transferring a group of men to another interstellar prison, and none of them had escaped her grasp. Except one.

"So, this voyage is a manhunt?" Natalie asked, shocked. "You can't be serious! The kids- Our daughter-"

"Will be safe." Amelia finished, now regaining her confidence. "I assure you, Mrs. Hawkins, no man- no matter how dangerous he may be- will even come close to the children. Especially mine. …That would be a dire mistake."

_Especially with Daddy aboard. _Tess thought, grinning. A manhunt! Never in her life had she asked for anything more thrilling! Going on a voyage was one thing, but chasing after a wanted criminal was incredible! Tess ran back down the deck to tell the two Doppler sisters, who right at this moment were being shooed out of the galley by the cook.

"Some lookout." Valerie grumbled to Tess. "Where were you? You were supposed to be keeping watch!"

"Sorry, but you won't believe what I just heard!" Tess said, excitedly. "We're-"

Valerie raised her hand, silencing Tess. "Save it. You can keep your gossip to yourself." With that, she trudged off.

April patted Tess on the shoulder. "Don't get so down about it, Tess." she said, encouragingly. "Valerie's just mad because we got caught… and are banned from the kitchen on this boat for a lifetime. …What was it you wanted to tell us?"

Tess smiled. She could always count on April to be her friend and listen. "Well, you see, I just overheard-" she began, but didn't finish.

"ALL HANDS TO STATIONS!" Amelia called from the upper deck. "Loose all solar sails! Prepare to launch!"

"I gotta go." April said, running up to join her mother. "We'll talk later, okay?"

"Um, okay…" Tess said glumly. Suddenly, as the ship began to hover, she started floating up in the air. _Just like in the bedtime story! _she thought happily, though her happiness didn't last so long as she kept floating higher and higher. With her light weight, she was able to float higher than the rest of the crew. A purple flash shot across the deck, and she began to fall back to the ground. "Augh!"

"Gotcha!" Jim exclaimed, running up and catching Tess before she hit the deck. "I think you'd better stick with your mother and I."

"Aw, dad! I was just having fun!" Tess whined, though she was secretly happy to be with her dad.

"Brace yourself." Jim said, hanging on tightly to the rail of the stairs. The ship shot off with incredible propulsion, making Tess shriek with delight.

Tess threw her arms in the air. "Just like a galactic roller-coaster!"

Soon, the thrust died down and the ship was sailing smoothly through the Etherium. Tess dropped down from her father's arms and climbed onto a barrel to witness the scenery, and caught her breath as they passed by the most amazing thing she had ever seen.

"Space whales!"

"Pretty cool, aren't they?" Jim rhetorically asked, leaning on the edge next to his daughter, smiling.

"The coolest." Tess gasped as a humongous space whale glided right next to the ship. She reached out to touch it, but it floated away from the ship before she could even stick out her hand. "Aw, darn it."

"Don't worry, Tess. Someday you'll touch one."

Tess looked up at her father, her face hopeful. "Maybe even ride one?"

Jim shook his head. "I doubt it. …Then again, I doubt a lot of things." he tussled his daughter's hair, grinning. "Now, c'mon. Let's catch up with your mom."

"Aye, aye, Captain." Tess hopped onto her father's back and climbed up to his shoulders as they walked over to her mom on the upper deck. She looked back at the space whales, and for moment, she could have sworn one winked at her.

* * *

A/N: And they're off! Will Tess ever get to tell the Doppler kids about the manhunt, and who is the criminal Amelia and Jim are after? Please R/R and find out in the continuing saga of _Treasure Planet: The Next Generation_!


	4. Chapter 4: Stowaways

And she writes! Here's where things get a bit exciting…

Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own the movie, but I own the OC so it's not ALL bad…

* * *

The ship soared across the Etherium, as the manhunt continued. It had been almost two weeks since the Hawkins, Dopplers, and the rest of the crew had left the spaceport.

Amelia and Delbert were busy navigating the ship meanwhile, giving their kids a chance to wonder about on the deck. Right now, they were in the middle of an argument about their navigation route, and they were using star constellations to see which direction they were heading.

"I'm telling you, you're wrong!" Elizabeth snapped, pointing at an eel-shaped constellation. "Lipus shows north, so we're heading west!"

"And _I'm _telling you that's not right!" Eric said, sternly. "Lipus is east, so we're going south!"

"You're _both_ wrong!" Valerie sneered. "Lipus points west, so we're going north!"

"Um, guys?" April said meekly, reading a chapter in a book on star constellations, which showed a picture of the constellation her siblings were bickering about. "That's not Lipus. That's Odius."

Her siblings paused their argument and walked over to her, looking over her shoulder at the constellation in the book. They all blushed sheepishly, embarrassed about their error. "Well, this is a bit of a misunderstanding, isn't it?" Elizabeth said first, itching the side of her face in shame.

"Indeed it is," Eric agreed, looking down at his shoes, disappointed with his behavior. "Shall we call a truce?"

"Truce." The three Doppler sisters repeated. They stood by their bother in a circle, each sticking their hands out to each other and shaking.

"Now, since that's Odius, then we must be going east…" Elizabeth began, pointing in the direction of the ship's bow.

"I beg to differ, my dear sister, but I believe we're going west," Eric said, lightly scoffing, as he took a compass out of his pocket.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Valerie yelled, snatching Eric's compass out of his hand. "Why didn't you take this out _before_ to check our direction?"

"Well, um…" Eric blushed. "We were mixed up in an argument, and I just forgot, that's all. Besides, someday we'll _have_ to learn to navigate without a compass, right? So we might as well learn now."

"What a bunch of bonzabeast-baloney!" Elizabeth scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Where'd you get that ridiculous idea?"

"From you! _You_ brought it up earlier!"

"I did not!"

"You did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Not!"

"Too!"

"Not _this_ again…" April sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose in aggravation. "I'm going to go see what Mom and Dad are doing."

"I'm going to try to sneak back into the kitchen for a snack." Valerie said. "Maybe the cook finally let his guard down."

The two sisters left as their other sister and brother continued their argument. Knowing them too well, they knew it would be a while before they reached another truce.

* * *

Tess had been spending most of the voyage with her mother as Jim worked in his quarters, trying to figure out which course the criminal could have taken after his escape. Natalie had been telling her about navigation (since the Doppler kids made it a bit confusing for her, due to their arguments), the various parts of the ships and the machinery that made it run, and gave her a tour of the ship two or three times. One would wonder why a mother would teach her daughter all these things at a young age, stuffing so much information into her brain. The answer, in Tess' case, was obvious: she was determined to become a spacer and wanted to learn every thing there is to know in order to become one… though she wished Jim wasn't so busy so he could tell her everything, since he had been on more adventure that her mother.

"Mommy?" Tess spoke up as Natalie showed her around the cargo hold (again).

"Yes, dear?" Natalie replied, looking at her daughter, who gazed up at one of the longboats.

"Do you think we could take one of the longboats out for a ride?" She widened her blue eyes and smiled big. "Puh-leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeze?" She fluttered her eyelashes for effect.

"Oh, I don't know, honey. It's more dangerous than it sounds like, and it takes an experienced-"

"Oh, please, Natalie," A voice said behind the mother and daughter. They turned and saw Jim standing before them, grinning. "It's not _that_ dangerous. Besides, I was only a kid when I took a longboat out for a joyride."

"You were _much _older, James, and you had someone to supervise you, remember?"

_How could I forget? _Jim thought, his smile widening. "Hey, I'll supervise her." He turned to his daughter. "What do you say, Tess? Wanna go for a boat ride?" He thought about the question for a moment. "Wanna go for a _longboat_ ride?" he rephrased.

"Yes!" Tess exclaimed, leaping into her father's arms with glee, nearly causing him to topple over.

"No!" Natalie objected. "Jim, do you have any idea-"

But Jim was already opening the hatch and untying one of the longboats, Tess happily sitting on his shoulders as he did so. "Don't worry, we'll be careful." he guaranteed Natalie, picking up his daughter and setting her in the longboat. "We'll just be gone for a few minutes, then be back."

"But, aren't you supposed to be checking that criminal's course?" Natalie then gasped and covered her mouth, hoping Tess hadn't heard her. Luckily, her daughter was too excited about the ride that she wasn't even paying attention.

"That can wait. A man can't spend his whole life looking for one thing and forget about his family, can he? Besides, I need a break. …Why don't you come with us?"

"Oh, Jim, I don't- Augh!" Jim had grabbed Natalie's hand and pulled her into the longboat before she could finish her protest. They went below the ship and shot off, causing Natalie to fly back. "Whoa-ho!"

"Wheee!" Tess shouted with delight. "Faster, daddy! Faster!"

Natalie clung to her seat. "Slower, Jim! Slower!"

"Aw, relax, Nat, and have fun like we are!" Jim laughed, picking up speed.

The family soared among the stars, watching them fly by. Tess squealed every time he made a loop, or caused the longboat to do a barrel-role. Natalie, however, screamed with fear and held on to her daughter for dear life.

"You shouldn't be doing crazy stunts like that while a child is aboard!" Natalie snapped at him.

"Hey, I'm doing them at a slower speed." Jim scoffed. "If I were doing them at a faster pace, then you could worry. Besides, she's enjoying it."

"Yeah, and I'll bet she'd also enjoy falling out into deep space, wouldn't she?"

"Daddy, can I steer?" Tess suddenly asked, interrupting her parent's discussion.

Jim opened his mouth to reply, but Natalie shot him the "Don't-even-think-about-it!" look and he hesitated. "Maybe when you're older, okay?" he replied.

"Aw…" Tess bowed her head in disappointment.

"Besides, we should be getting back to the ship. It's getting late." Turning the longboat around, they headed back toward the direction of the ship, where Tess spotted something unusual.

"Dad, who's boat is that?" she asked, tugging her father's sleeve and pointing at a longboat which hovered by the side of the ship.

Jim studied the boat with concern. It wasn't one of theirs, Tess had pointed out, so it possibly meant one thing. "I believe we might have a stowaway." he said, solemnly.

* * *

Valerie was sneaking back up deck, luckily successful of her raid, when she saw the man and boy climb over the edge of the starboard bow. _Stowaways! _she thought as she ducked behind a barrel, dropping a couple perps as she did, hoping they hadn't seen or heard her.

"Now keep quiet while I go below deck," The man hissed to the boy, and he scurried quickly past Valerie's hiding spot and down to the galley.

_Good luck getting past the cook, _Valerie thought, knowing- from experience- how hard it was to get past the cook. She looked back over at the boy. He was about her age, only shorter, and had pointed ears, and his nose showed him to be some sort of hybrid, though she couldn't recall what kind. He was leaning against the edge, his hands in his pockets, looking around calmly, though she could tell from his expression that he was nervous. _I've got to warn mom!_

Quickly, yet carefully, she ran to another set of barrels across the deck while the boy's head was turned. Her parent's quarter's were just past him. _Maybe I can crawl across the edge and get past him. _she thought, climbing onto the edge and balancing on her hands and knees. She began to carefully inch her way across. _Careful… Careful… _She was right above the boy now, his head just an inch below her. _Almost there…_

"HEY!" An angry shout came from the galley as the man- who's arms were full of treats- ran up the steps, followed by pots and pans that were flung at him by the cook. "GET BACK HERE, YOU THIEF!"

Valerie lost her balance. "Augh!" she cried as she toppled over the edge.

The boy turned around in shock. "Hey!" he cried, catching Valerie by her wrist just before she dropped completely. He pulled her back on deck.

"Thanks," Valerie gasped, then grabbed the boy by his shirt collar, lifting him off the ground. "Now who are you and what are you doing on my mother's ship?"

The boy squirmed in her grasp, too nervous to speak. "Uh… You see… I-"

"Get in the longboat!" The man snarled, grabbing the boy by the back of his shirt, yanking him out of Valerie's grasp, and tossing him overboard.

"NO!" Valerie screamed, looking over the edge, noticing there was a lifeboat below, which the boy had landed in. She immediately felt embarrassed, knowing even if he hadn't caught her, she would have landed safely. Something further out caught her eye-

"And you!" The man growled, pulling Valerie away from the edge and turning his back. "If you mention one word about any of this, I'll-"

"Hiya!" Valerie kicked the man in 'the place where the sun don't shine', causing him to release her and fall to his knees.

"No… fair…" The man whimpered, his voice high-pitched. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her back before she could run, and the gruffness returned in his voice. "I'll teach you to mess with me, you wretched kitten!"

"_Kitten_?" Valerie punched the man in the face with fury. "No one calls me a kitten!"

The man grabbed both her hands now and twisted them behind her back, making her yell out in pain. "I'm gonna throw you overboard for that!" He turned toward the edge of the ship, only to be punched once again. This time, it was harder, and he released Valerie as she ran to her mother's quarters. He looked up at who punched him and gasped.

"I don't believe he's part of the crew, is he Natalie?" Jim rhetorically asked his wife.

"No, I believe not." Natalie replied with a scowl.

Amelia rushed out, followed by Valerie and Delbert, to investigate the scene. "Well, Mr. Hawkins, I believe you've found our wanted criminal." she said, glowering at the man.

"Hey, I helped too!" Valerie scoffed.

"This is the dangerous criminal we've been after?" Jim scoffed. "He doesn't seem much like a threat to me…"

"Yet his crimes are still high." Amelia said. "Not only is he wanted for robbery and murder, but he's also responsible for kidnappings. He's known across the Etherium for breaking into others' homes or stowing away on ships and running away with a child, which he sells on the black market."

"How awful!" Natalie gasped, hugging Tesoro close to her, fearing the thought of what would happen if the criminal stole her daughter.

"Well, it seems he picked the wrong ship this time." Jim commented, glowering at the man.

The cook, a four-tentacled alien with bugged-out eyes, came up. "What a mess!" He muttered, looking down into the galley. "Captain, I believe we have a stowaway, and they just raided-" he paused when he saw the man sprawled on the deck, surrounded by the others. "Uh, never mind."

* * *

A/N: A fat lot of help the cook did! Caring about his kitchen more that the criminal, hmph! Well, that does it for this chapter. Who is the boy, and what will the others do with him? Find out in the next chapter! Please R/R. Flames will be extinguished.


	5. Chapter 5: Realizing Mistakes

Readers: WE WANT CHAPTER FIVE! WE WANT CHAPTER FIVE! WE WANT-

Me: OKAY! Geez! Here ya go! …And put away the pitch-forks!

Disclaimer: You do not own Treasure Planet, just your own characters.

Me: I know! You don't have to remind me!

* * *

Delbert wrapped Valerie's wrists in gauze. They had been twisted- but not broken- by the man, who the crew figured out was their wanted criminal, Cortez Alimino. Though he didn't put up much of a fight, that didn't persuade everyone into thinking he wasn't dangerous. Then again, they didn't realize how dangerous he could be…

_Too think that bloody scoundrel tried to throw me overboard! _Valerie thought bitterly as her canidid father bandaged her wrists. _Why, if the oaf thinks he can beat ME, he's got another thing coming to him! And that poor boy- _Suddenly, Valerie realized the boy wasn't with them. "Dad, where's the boy?" she asked.

"Jim- er, Mr. Hawkins and your mother are talking to him, dear." Delbert replied, finding it funny to refer to Jim as 'Mr. Hawkins' for a change. Though he called him by his name on occasion, he knew it would be more proper to be formal when talking about Jim. "They're finding out where he's from and who his parents are."

Valerie nodded. She couldn't help but feel sorry for the boy being kidnapped, especially when she gave a rough 'first impression'. _Maybe I should apologize. _she thought. After all, he _did_ save her from falling overboard… even though she would have landed safely in the lifeboat they had parked at the side of the ship. _But I could have missed it… No, I wouldn't have. It wasn't that far down. Then, of course, there's the part where he just stood there as that blasted criminal had a hold of me. …Then again, he might have been too scared. Perhaps he didn't want to enrage the man and have him hurt me more… or get himself hurt. _

Delbert sealed the end of the gauze with bandage tape. "There you go, Valerie." he said, patting his daughter's hands. "They should be well in a day or so. I should recommend that you don't try to pull any stunts for a while, though."

"Aw, c'mon dad!" Valerie pouted.

"Ah, ah, ah. Doctor's orders."

"But you're an astronomer, not a doctor! …Well, you are a doctor, but not _that_ kind of doctor."

"Oh? If I'm not 'that' kind of doctor, then why did your mother have me bandage your wrists?"

Valerie rolled her eyes. "Anyone can put a bandage around a wrist, dad."

"Then why, pray tell, didn't she have anyone else do it?"

Valerie opened her mouth to reply, but was caught in her father's trap. "Because you're a doctor." she sighed.

Delbert patted his daughter's back. "Don't get exaggerated. I didn't think of myself as 'that' kind of doctor either. Just an astronomer. It wasn't until later when I realized, after helping your mother with a broken arm, that I could be."

"But you don't have a diploma in the medical field. …Do you?"

"My dear Valerie, when it comes to helping your family or friends with something like a broken arm or twisted wrist, you don't have to have a medical diploma. You just need to be there for them." With that, he kissed his daughter on the forehead. "Now then, why don't you get to bed? It'll be a long trip back, and you'll need your rest, especially to help your wrists."

"Doctor's orders?" Valerie grinned.

"Doctors orders." Hugging his daughter good-night, Delbert left the room.

* * *

Tess sat outside the door, eavesdropping on her father and Amelia as they talked to the boy. So far, he hasn't said a word. The only thing they figured was that he was possibly the same age as the Doppler kids, as Valerie had told them, but they weren't quite sure due to his height, which was just a foot above Tess' height. _I wonder why he's being so quiet._ Tess thought.

"I'll ask you again," Amelia said to the boy, trying to sound as kind- and least agitated- to the boy as possible. "What is your name?"

The boy sat there, arms wrapped around his knees which were pulled up to his chin, staring at the floor in silence. His pointed ears twitched in nervousness each time Amelia asked him a question.

"Come now, you must tell us." Amelia prodded. "You want to go home don't you?"

Silence.

"Well, we can't get you home unless you answer our questions. Do you know where you live?"

The boy turned his head away, staring toward the direction of the door. Tess backed away from the crack of the door to avoid being seen by him, even though his eyes stayed to the floor.

"Oh, blast it!" Amelia shouted, throwing her hands up in annoyance. Her sudden outburst startled Jim and Tess (who gasped, then covered her mouth to keep any more noise from coming out of her). The boy sat there, not affected by Amelia's change in tone. "I can't get a word out of this boy, James! He's absolutely inconsistent!"

The boy had shut his eyes tight, trying to keep from wincing. Tess didn't know why he did, but she knew it had something to do with what Amelia had said.

"Give him time, Amelia." Jim said, calmly. "He's probably still a bit shook-up about being kidnapped, that's all. Let him calm down a bit, then he'll tell us." Tess nodded as she listened, agreeing with her dad.

"Yes, well," Amelia said, cooling down a bit. "I hope he tells us soon. If he doesn't give us any information by the end of the voyage, we'll have to choice but to put him in foster custody until we reach his parents." Tess shook her head in disagreement.

"What? We can't do that! We've got to find his parents-"

"If he has any. It could be a possibility that he may be an orphan…" she turned toward the boy, though she was still addressing Jim. "Of course, we won't know unless he _tells us_."

The boy shut his eyes tighter, pulling his knees closer to his chest and burying his face in them. Tess wished she could comfort him… let alone tell Amelia to back off and stop being so mean.

"But he was kidnapped!" Jim pointed out. "You said so yourself, Cortez kidnapped kids-"

"To sell on the black market." Amelia added. "Not all the children they kidnap are from families, Mr. Hawkins. In fact, most of all of the kids which are bought and sold come from orphanages, in order to decrease police suspicion, having them believe that the kids possibly ran away from the orphanage they're from rather than kidnapped."

"Well, orphan or not, we're not putting him in foster custody… In fact, that would probably cause him to get kidnapped again and sold 'without suspicion'."

Amelia began to protest, but stopped herself. "You have a point…" she admitted, sighing and sitting down in a chair across the room.

_Go dad! _Tess thought happily.

"Why don't we just question Cortez?" Jim suggested. "That way, he can tell us where he got the boy, and then we can take him back-"

The boy's head jerked up and his eyes went wide. "NO!" he shouted, startling everyone. All eyes turned to him, and he stared at the floor in silence again.

"What's wrong?" Jim asked the boy, squatting down face-to-face with him. The boy didn't answer, yet tears began to form in his eyes. "You don't… want to go back?" The boy remained silent, blinking away a tear. "I understand." Jim stood up straight and turned away from the boy.

"What? What is it?" Amelia demanded, standing up and approaching Jim.

"He doesn't want to go back. At least, that's all I can figure out, for now."

Amelia turned to the boy. "Why not?"

The boy stared at the floor and closed his eyes. "I have a brother to find." he said quietly, then slid out of the chair he sat in and walked toward the door. Tess moved behind the door as the boy walked out, still looking down at the ground as he did, his hands tucked in his pockets.

"Let him go, Amelia." Tess heard her father say. She looked around the corner and saw that he had grabbed her by the shoulder.

"A brother!" Amelia huffed. "We've been questioning him all night and he just now told us he had a brother? Why-"

"Tesoro!" Jim said in surprise, noticing his daughter watching them. "What are you doing out of bed?"

Tess gasped, realizing she was leaning too far into the door frame. "I-I-I just wanted to see how the boy was doing…" she replied, meekly.

"Well, now you know." Amelia replied, sternly. She shot a look at Jim and left the room, heading toward her quarters.

Jim walked over and picked up his daughter. "I told you to stay with your mom." he told her.

"But I had to find out!" Tess exclaimed. "You and Mrs. Doppler are always having private conversations about something important but you never tell me!"

"That's why they're called _private_ discussions, Tess."

Tess pouted. "Still…"

"Listen, why don't you head off to bed. I'll let you help us question the boy next time, okay?"

Tess tried to look mad, but she couldn't keep the grin off her face. "Okay."

Jim put his daughter down and she scurried off around the corner to their room. That's when he heard her ear-piercing scream. "Daddy! Help! HE'S GOT ME!"

"What's going on?" Delbert asked worriedly, rushing down from the upper deck, followed by his kids.

"What now?" Amelia asked, more annoyed than worried, as she rushed to Jim's side.

"It's Tesoro!" Jim raced around the corner, only to see Cortez holding Tess (who was kicking viciously) in his grasp. "Let her go!"

"I wouldn't think about it," Cortez said sinisterly, holding a knife up to Tess' throat (making her stop kicking) before Jim could take another step closer. "If you want to make sure your daughter lives, you'll do exactly as I say. You're going to get a longboat ready for me to escape, along with a few weapons. Next, you're going to get that brat I had with me earlier and hand him over, so I won't lose any profit. Finally, you're going to forget you ever saw me tonight. Don't call the police. Don't say anything. I'll just take the boy and go, and you'll get your daughter back."

"But first, you're going to get kicked in the throat!" A voice said from behind Cortez. He turned around, just in time for Natalie to punch him in the face, causing him to drop both his knife and Tess, who ran to Jim, who picked her up and hugged her tightly. Natalie grabbed Cortez by the hair and- as she said- kicked him in the throat. She took out a laser pistol and pointed it at his head.

"No fair…" Cortez choked.

"I'd shut up if I were you." Natalie growled. She grabbed the criminal by his shirt collar and, while keeping the pistol pointed at his head, dragged him toward the brig. Jim put Tess down and stepped in front of the man, grabbing him by the shirt collar and yanking him out of his wife's grasp.

"Don't you ever threaten my daughter again." Jim said, his voice full of anger and hatred. Punching the man, he walked with his wife as they took him back down to the brig, where they saw that the guard was knocked out and the keys were missing from his belt. "Hand them over."

"What makes you think-" Cortez began to protest, but the sound of Natalie cocking her pistol silenced him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the keys. "Here you go."

Natalie yanked the keys out of his grasp while Jim roughly pushed him into the cell, slamming the door shut and leaving the criminal in darkness, with no light from anything but the stars outside his window. "I could have gone to college and become a doctor but _noooooo_!" Cortez complained to himself. "I had to take the criminal route with my friends to make some fast cash! That's the last time I listen to one of _their_ plans!"

* * *

Jim stood looking into the Etherium, standing on one of the masts like he did when he was a teenager. Natalie saw him up there first thing when she got up to look for him, after realizing he wasn't in bed. She climbed up and stood next to him, cautiously keeping her balance.

"You were right." Jim sighed, feeling his wife's presence. "I should be more careful."

Natalie sighed. "Jim-" she began.

Jim turned sharply to his wife, his face full of anxiety. "Tess could have been kidnapped last night! Or worse! And it would have been all my fault!"

"Don't say that! It wasn't your fault at all! It was mine. I should've kept a better eye on her…"

"No. I brought her on this voyage, I put her life in danger. You tried to talk me out of it, but… I didn't listen. Even my own dad wouldn't have done something as bad as this."

"James Pleiades Hawkins! Don't you ever, for even a minute, think that you're worse than your father! …Why did I say worse? You're not a bad father at all! You didn't know that this voyage was going to be a manhunt, you just wanted to give your daughter a good time. There's nothing the matter with that. Neither of us knew what to expect on this trip, but that doesn't matter. What matters is that you were there for Tesoro."

"You were the one who kicked Cortez in the throat and saved her."

"Even if I didn't, I know you would have thought of something. That's why you're such a great father, Jim- when our daughter is in trouble, you'll stop at nothing to make sure she's safe."

"And I want her to stay safe… even if it means keeping her off another ship." Natalie opened her mouth to say something, but Jim raised his hand to silence her. "I've learned my lesson, Natalie. I'm never going to make the same mistake again."

Natalie wanted to protest, but she felt the same way. She didn't want to see her daughter in any more danger. "Alright." She said quietly, climbing down the mast, followed by Jim.

The boy peeked out over the crow's nest, overhearing the conversation. "Poor lass." he said to himself, feeling sorry for the girl the couple talked about. "She's gonna miss out on a lot."

* * *

A/N: Wow, this was a long one. I hope the feeling comes back in my fingers. Okay, so it looks like Jim's gonna be a bit protective of Tess, we all now know… but how will it work out? R/R. Flames will be burned (don't ask how, they just will).


	6. Chapter 6: He Speaks!

Well, here's another chapter! Let's see how Tess takes the news…

Disclaimer: I don't own TP, otherwise I'd be working in Disney Studios.

* * *

The voyage back home went by quickly, especially for Tess. She had seen the boy up on deck, sitting on a barrel looking out into the Etherium, but she never got a chance to talk to him, namely when one of the Doppler children got to him first…

"Hello, I'm Eric," Eric said to the boy the day after they found him. "What's your name?"

The boy opened his mouth to reply, but Elizabeth stepped up to her brother before he could do so. "Oh, don't bother, Eric." she said. "Mom says no matter what you ask him, he won't say a word!" she turned sharply to the boy. "Isn't that right, whatever-your-name-is?"

The boy glowered at Elizabeth, ready to say something, but April crossed over to them. "Oh, leave him alone, Liz!" she snapped. "He doesn't know us that well. He's probably not allowed to talk to strangers."

"Well, he should, if he wants to get back home," Eric muttered, crossing his arms.

"Mom says he doesn't have a home." Elizabeth whispered. "All everyone knows is that he said he has a brother and he's looking for him."

"A missing brother, did you say?" April asked, her eyes wide. "Hey, maybe we can help you-" She turned to where the boy was sitting, but he was gone. "Where'd he go?"

Tess watched as, while three of the Doppler kids were talking amongst themselves, the boy slipped away from them and toward the galley. _Uh, oh. The cook won't be happy to see him down there! _she thought with concern, knowing how territorial the cook was. She followed him down, to make sure he wouldn't be spotted.

Quietly climbing down the steps, she saw him make his way over to the cabinets. _"Don't!" _She wanted to warn him, but a disturbing sound kept her from saying anything.

"Snorkthuck…" Looking over, she saw the cook was sound asleep, snoring loudly. Wiping sweat from her forehead with relief, she looked over and saw that the boy was staring right at her. He pressed his finger to his lips, a gesture telling her to stay quiet. She nodded, quietly sneaking over to him, keeping an eye on the cook to make sure he stayed asleep.

"You shouldn't be down here." Tess whispered to the boy as quietly as she could, though she was worried he wouldn't hear her over the cook's snores. "You could get in trouble."

"Snerkcheh…" The cook snored again, scratching an itch under his nose.

"Don't care." The boy replied quietly.

"You spoke!" Tess said aloud, then gasped and covered her mouth, looking over at the cook, who shifted in his seat but remained asleep. "How come you don't talk much?" she kept her voice quiet, turning her attention back to the boy.

"How comes deh rest of _ya _talk so much?" The boy sneered, grabbing a couple pearapples and climbing down. Now that he spoke louder, Tess noted he had an Irish accent. She followed him as he climbed up the stairs loudly, not caring whether he woke the cook or not.

The boy climbed up on the edge and onto the shrouds, munching on a pearapple and continuing to gaze out into the Etherium once again. Tess watched him, trying to think of something to say. "I heard you have a brother." She said, hoping to spark conversation, but with no effect. "What's his name?" No reply. Tess began to become impatient. "Do you even have a name, or should we all just call you 'boy', boy? Why won't you tell us _anything_?"

The boy turned to her glowering, and Tess immediately felt sorry she said anything. "There's nothing tah tell." he said, harshly. "Me brother's missing, an' I plan tah find him. End o' story." He turned away, gazing back out into the Etherium.

Tess lowered her head, trying to keep from becoming upset from the boy's harsh tone. "Maybe if you tell us, we could help you find him." She looked up at him, waiting for a response.

The boy just sighed and shut his eyes. He had fallen silent again. Tess nodded and sighed sadly, turning away from the boy and walking away. _Why doesn't he want to talk to anyone? _she wondered. _Doesn't he want help?_

"Don't waste yer only trip worryin' about me, lass." The boy said, startling her. She turned and stared at him, noticing his brown-copper eyes stuck to the Etherium. "It might be deh only voyage you'll ever 'ave."

"Huh?" she asked, but the boy stayed silent. "What do you mean-"

"Aiiieeeeee!" A cry came from the galley. "Someone raided my kitchen! …VALERIE!"

The boy jumped down from the shrouds and shoved the pearapples into Tess' hands. "If anyone asks, ya never saw me!" he said hastily, running off. Tess looked over and saw the cook storm up the stairs, red with fury.

"Yipes!" she cried, dropping the pearapples and running off.

* * *

Valerie was with her mother at the helm when they heard the cook's shouts, and from the sounds of it, he suspected her of a raid. Looking over, she saw the boy shove something into Tess' hands and run off. _Something space-fishy is going on… _She figured, running down the deck after the boy. Taking a detour around the corner and over the opposite upper deck, she jumped over the railing (doing an aerial flip) and cut him off by the crew's quarters.

"Yikes!" The boy yelled, startled by Valerie's unexpected encounter.

"Aha! So you _do_ talk!" Valerie chided with a grin, then grabbed the boy by his shirt collar (again). "What's the big idea trying to pin a theft on me?"

"I didn't!" The boy scoffed, pushing her away. "Now, let me go!" he wriggled out of her grasp and continued running.

"You'd better watch your back if I get the blame, or you'll have a lot more to worry about than the cook _and_ Cortez!"

The boy stopped, turning to Valerie, his expression solemn. "They're deh least of my troubles, kitten."

Valerie clenched her fists. "What did you call me?"

"There you are!" An angered voice called from behind them. They looked over and saw the cook, rolling pin in hand, glowering at them. "So, teaming up against me, eh?"

"Run!" The boy yelled, and he and Valerie took off, pursued by the cook. Valerie looked back at the cook, then turned to the boy, grinning evilly. Sticking her foot out and hopping on the other, she tripped him and took off. "Hey!"

"Like I said before," Valerie called back to the boy. "Nobody calls me kitten!"

The boy sneered at Valerie and glowered in her direction as the cook grabbed him by the arm. "You're gonna pay for the food you stole, boy!" The cook scolded.

"How? I don'ts have any money." The boy remarked.

The cook grinned. "Then you'll work off your debt." With that, he began to drag the boy back to the galley.

* * *

Tess ran into her father after dropping the pearapples. He looked down at her questionably, and she grinned with innocence. "Uh, hi daddy." she chuckled innocently.

"I was wondering where you were." Jim said, smiling. "I hope you weren't causing trouble, from the sounds of it. What's going on?" As if on cue, they heard the cook shouting Valerie's name as he ran across the deck. "Well, glad that's solved."

"Valerie didn't do it."

Jim looked at his daughter, curiously. "Oh? And who did?"

Tess was about to tell him about the boy and his raid, but she didn't want to get him in trouble, let alone give off the impression of being a snitch. "I got hungry and grabbed a couple of pearapples."

"That's odd. Last time I remember, you said you didn't like pearapples."

_Nice going, Tess. _She scolded herself, trying to think of an alibi. "Well, I was looking for some perps, but the cook was waking up, and in a haste I accidentally grabbed pearapples."

Jim gave his daughter a warning look. "Tess…"

Tess sighed. "The boy we found went down there and stole some food. I'm sorry I lied, but I didn't want to be a tattle-tale."

"Tess, you should have told me the truth. Just because you don't want to tell on someone and get them in trouble doesn't mean you should lie… let alone put the blame on yourself. I think you should keep away from that boy."

Tess nodded. "He talked to me."

This caught Jim's attention. "He did?"

"Yeah, I tried to ask him about his brother and his name, but he said there was nothing to tell. And he talked…" she tried to mimic the boy's accent. "With an' accent like tis."

Jim rubbed his chin. "Interesting… Maybe I should take him on my next voyage to get him to talk to me." he chuckled at his own joke.

"Speaking of which…" Tess looked at her dad with her big, blue, (and powerfully cute) eyes, fluttering her eye-lashes. "Can I go on with you on your next voyage, please?"

Jim looked at his daughter, his smile fading. "Um… no, Tess, I don't think so…"

"But this one was fun! Please, I really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, REALLY want to do this again!" she got on her hands and knees, begging. "Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, pleasey-please?"

"No, Tess. I'm sorry. It's just too dangerous for you out here in open space."

Tess' eyes went wide, and she could feel her lip tremble. "Daddy, I'm sorry I lied about the boy's raid, but-"

"It's not that, Tess. You're… just not cut out for it."

Tears began to form in Tess' eyes. Here she was, hearing her own father tell her she wasn't cut out for sailing, crushing her dreams. _It might be deh only voyage you'll ever 'ave. _The boy's words seemed to echo in her mind. She began to cry.

If there was one thing Jim couldn't stand, it was seeing his own daughter cry. He felt cold for telling her she wasn't cut out for sailing, knowing that it wasn't true. (After all, she _is_ his daughter). "Don't cry, Tess," He said soothingly, hugging Tess. "What I meant to say, was… you're still young. But in a few years, you'll be ready." Tess sniffled and looked up at him, her eyes full of tears.

Jim couldn't help but imagine that he must have looked the same way on his voyage to Treasure Planet, when Silver had talked to him after Mr. Arrow's death, and his words began to repeat in his mind. "Listen, Tesoro," he said, wiping the tears from his daughter's eyes. "You've got the makings of greatness in you, and soon you'll be testing the cut of your sails and charting your own course, and if you stick to it, you'll be ready to sail again in no time. …And I'll be with you, no matter where you go."

"You… really think so?" Tess sniffled, wiping her nose on her arm and staring up at her dad with hope in her eyes.

"I know so. …And just to prove it," Jim reached into his pocket and pulled out a round locket with a cross engraved in it. Opening the top of it, a holographic compass lit up in blue light. "I want you to have this." Unraveling the gold chain the compass was attached to, he put it around his daughter's neck. "This way, you won't be lost."

Tess gripped the locket and smiled up at her dad, then enveloped him in a hug. "Thank you, daddy. You're the best!"

Jim smiled. "Thanks Tess." he hugged his daughter tight_. _"…That means a lot." He set his daughter on the ground, and she scampered off, giggling and waving her new compass in the air. Jim smiled, knowing that Natalie had been right. He wasn't like his father, he wasn't a bad dad. _You're the best! _Tesoro's words echoed in his mind.

He grinned and began walking down to the galley to see how the cook was putting up with the recent raid of his kitchen. Jim then paused, pondering how Tess' description of the boy's voice was so familiar. _Could it be…?_ Jim began to wonder.

* * *

A/N: Hmm, anyone else think the boy's accent sounded familiar? ;D

And a special thanks to Anon and OMGitsEMILY for your reviews! (And don't worry, there will be some romance in later chapters)

Please R/R. Flames will be stomped on… just as long as my foot doesn't catch fire.


	7. Chapter 7: Missing

So, who ordered Chapter Seven?

Disclaimer: I don't own the movie, I just write the stories.

* * *

Jim walked below into the galley, where he saw the cook stirring gumbo in a pan and saw the boy washing dishes with a scowl on his face. It was no doubt to Jim that the cook had put the boy to work in order to pay off his debt.

"I take it he's working for you?" Jim rhetorically asked the cook, nodding over to the boy, who kept his eyes on the dishes.

"Yep," The cook replied, almost happily. "The little rat thinks he can get away with stealing from my kitchen, so he's gonna pay for it." he turned towards the boy. "Ain't that right, you scamp?" The boy turned to the cook and sneered, glowering. "Now, if only I could get Valerie, too."

Jim cocked his head to the side, curiously. "Valerie?"

"Yes, she's the main culprit behind the raids, and the boy's only her accomplice."

"Am not!" The boy growled, throwing a foam of bubbles at the cook, only to have them float to the floor a few inches away from the stool he stood on.

"I see." Jim said, rubbing his chin. "So, why haven't you sent her to work for her recent raids, which you've mentioned in the past?"

"Well, I wanted to, Mr. Hawkins," The cook explained, sighing. "But, unfortunately, she's the Captain's daughter, and it's up to her mother to find a 'suitable' punishment for her." The cook smiled. "And, I believe her punishments exceed mine."

Jim stepped slowly toward the cook, pretending to ponder the statement. "But, I thought Captain Amelia was in charge of everyone's punishments… including the boy's. I take it she assigned him to work for you?"

The cook's smile faded. "Uh, no. You see, I…"

Jim feigned a gasp. "Don't tell me you didn't consult Amelia before rushing into your own decisions… _again_!" Jim shook his head. "_Tsk-tsk_. You know she doesn't like that."

The boy, overhearing the conversation, smiled. He knew where Jim was going with this conversation. He couldn't help but chuckle as the cook's face turned red.

"But-but-but-but-" The cook stammered, sweating with nervousness. "He _stole _from me!"

"But so did Valerie." Jim pointed out. "But you didn't bust her, all because she's the captain's daughter. …And if you think about it, until we get off this ship and find his parents, the boy- in a way- belongs to the Captain also, as well as me. You could get in trouble for this."

"Please, Mr. Hawkins, I wasn't thinking! I was just furious, what with Valerie, Cortez, then this boy-"

"Then again," Jim paced, pretending to ponder again. "If you let him go, send him with me to check with Amelia, I might forget that you forgot to mention to us, then say you just now recently caught him in the act and addressed me first. That sound reasonable?"

The cook nodded, a bit relieved. "Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. A-And I promise, it won't happen again! From now on, I'll talk with you- and the Captain- first if something goes wrong!"

Jim nodded, then turned to the boy. "Well, shall we, my boy?"

The boy- without hesitation- climbed down from the stool, ripped off his apron (throwing it in the cook's face) and rushing up to Jim, following him back up deck.

The cook watched them, curiously. He had been doing things his way without consulting Jim or Amelia the whole voyage, and Jim knew about it all along. So why, he wondered, did he care now?

"You do realize I might be sent to work for dat slave-driver anyway, don't ya?" The boy asked Jim as they walked toward Amelia's office.

"You never know," Jim said to the boy with a shrug. "Valerie has been stealing from him this whole voyage, but she's never been put to work."

"Only because she's the Captain's daughter."

"Hey, even with her own kids, she tends to be forceful. Just remember: even though your parents may have high authority, doesn't always mean you can get away with everything." He looked down at the boy. "Speaking of which, where are your parents?"

The boy turned silent, solemnly looking down at the ground. Jim shrugged and kept walking, deciding not to push the conversation further. _Guess he's still not ready to talk about it. _Jim thought. He knew how it felt, how he never wanted to talk about his dad after he left, and how he always gave his mother the same silent treatment when she tried to talk to him. _Like a stranger. _

They arrived in Captain Amelia's office and Jim told her about the boy raiding the galley, and he was right- his punishment was to work for the cook, which caused him to glower at Jim every time they crossed paths that day. _Okay, so I was wrong,_ Jim tried to say to the boy, but he always turned away from him before he spoke a word.

_Oh, well. _Jim would think whenever the boy shunned him. _There's only three more days left until we get back to the Spaceport, then he'll be someone else's problem. _Yet, deep down, Jim wished that he could help the boy on his own, feeling that he owed such a favor.

* * *

_Valerie heard a low thump coming from below deck, and she crawled out of bed to investigate. Walking down the stairs, she heard the sound of gears running; she picked up her pace and ran down to where the lifeboats were stored, noticing one of the lifeboats were missing and the hatch was open. She ran over and looked down into the Etherium, only seeing the glow of jets from one of the lifeboats._

_Running back up on deck, she rushed to inform her parents about the incident, not watching where she was going. Slipping on a bar of soap on the deck, she slipped and fell, all the while wondering how one of the crewmates could have forgotten to put it away. As she fell, the scenery went from a starry night to infinite blackness, and she fell… and fell… and fell…_

* * *

"Augh!" Valerie screamed, sitting up in bed in a cold sweat. Clutching her chest, feeling her heart racing, she looked around the room, relieved to know that she was still in bed. She sighed in relief, realizing she only had a nightmare.

There were yells coming from outside her room, waking up her siblings. Eric stretched, scratching his brown hair; April groggily climbed out of bed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes; and Elizabeth grumbled and rolled out of her bed, annoyed at the early wake up call.

"What's going on _now_?" Elizabeth demanded, grouchy from the yells waking her.

"Sounds like there's trouble on deck." Eric sighed, sliding his feet into his slippers. "Again."

"As if a mad criminal wasn't enough." April scoffed, then gasped. "You don't suppose Cortez is loose again, do you?"

Valerie, however, didn't seem so surprised. "Something's wrong, all right." She said, jumping out of bed and out the door. "And I have a funny feeling I know why…"

* * *

"Gone? How could he be gone?" Tess overheard Delbert shout in confusion. Walking out of her room among the crew, she saw that everyone was baffled, questioning the disappearance of a certain person. All around her, she heard questions like, "Where'd he go off to?", "Why did he leave?", and "How did he get away?"

"I don't see how he could have disappeared," Tess heard Amelia say. "My finest officer-"

"A-_hem_," Delbert coughed, eyeing his wife.

"I mean, my _second_ finest officer was on watch last night!" Amelia continued, smiling innocently at her husband in apology, then turned sternly to Jim. "Do you recall anything from last night, Mr. Hawkins?"

"Not a thing." Jim replied with a shrug. "I just put Tesoro to bed, checked on the boy, then went to bed. He was asleep last time I saw him."

"Or, he looked asleep." Natalie noted, arching an eyebrow. "He must've waited until everyone was asleep, and left. …But how could he have?"

_What's going on? _Tess wondered. _Who's missing? Did Cortez escape again? Did one of the crewmates fall overboard? _Then she gasped. _Did the boy-_

"I think I know how he left," Valerie spoke up, stepping between the adults, tugging on her mother's sleeve.

"Not now, Valerie." Amelia said. "This is urgent busi-"

"The lifeboats." Valerie began pulling her mother down below deck. "C'mon, I'll show you." She led her mother- and the others- down to the lifeboats, where they saw the hatch was open and one of their lifeboats were missing.

Delbert turned to his daughter. "But, how did you know?" he asked with awe.

Valerie blushed. She couldn't have told them about her dream, worried that they'd probably call her insane, or think she was lying to cover up for the escapee. "Well, it's the most obvious way to get off the ship, right? Plus, it's far enough below so no one else could hear it from far up deck. It's the perfect way to escape."

_I can agree with that. _Jim thought, reminiscing the two times a lifeboat was used to escape the _RLS Legacy- _First time, it was him, Amelia, and Delbert, (and Morph, who had transformed into the map and hid in Jim's pocket). The second time, though, it didn't much count as an escape, since he let Silver go…

"We'll send out a search party." Natalie said, breaking Jim's walk down memory lane. "He couldn't have gotten far, especially since he's so young."

The adults began walking back up to the deck, leaving Tess and the Doppler children below to look out at the Etherium. "So, what happened?" Tess finally asked.

"Haven't you figured it out yet?" Elizabeth scoffed. "The boy we found stole one of our lifeboats and took off! Crummy, little…"

"I don't get it." April said, looking out at the approaching dawn. "Why would he just get up and leave?"

"Maybe that lousy cook pushed him too hard with the chores." Valerie scoffed. "I would've am-scrayed too if I had to go through back-breaking labor over a couple pearapples."

Tess shook her head. "No… It has to be more than that." she said. The Doppler kids looked at her, questionably. She kept her eyes out onto the Etherium. "He's going off to look for his brother."

"Oh, for the love of-" Eric shouted, slapping his hand on his forehead. "Why on Montressor would he do a rash thing like that? Is he _nuts_? He could get killed! Or _worse_!"

"I'll admit, it is irresponsible," Elizabeth sneered. "Wandering off into the Galaxy alone. It's totally preposterous!" She turned and began walking back up deck, followed by Eric.

"I hope he'll be okay," April said quietly. Valerie could see that her eyes were filled with worry. "I pray to God that someone finds him… and his brother." She ran upstairs, her face in her hands, before anyone could see her cry.

Tess took out the compass Jim gave to her. Opening it up and showing the holographic compass image, the dial pointed Northwest. "That's funny," she said, closing and re-opening the compass.

"What is it?" Valerie asked, glancing at Tess' compass.

"The compass is pointing Northwest… but we're not heading in that direction."

"Must be busted. C'mon, let's get back on deck. Let's see if we can snag anything from the kitchen- it's sure to be easy with all the commotion."

"I'll be up in a minute." Tess continued to fiddle with her compass, allowing Valerie to go off on another raid alone. She sighed, unable to figure out what was wrong with the gadget, then looked out into the Etherium. She was worried about the boy, yet felt envious that he left the ship to explore the outreaches of space on a quest to find his brother. _Lucky, _she thought.

She continued to gaze out into the Etherium. _Just like what the boy used to do. _She thought, then she understood why. The winds of the Etherium were so calm… so peaceful… so inviting of their flight and freedom… it made her spirit _soar_!

* * *

A/N: Where did the boy go? Will Tess and the others ever seem him again? Please R/R. Flames will be used in my fireplace for warmth.


	8. Chapter 8: Flashback Time

And here's another chapter! Takes place a few years later…

Disclaimer: I only own Tess and the other OC.

* * *

_12 years later…_

The canyons of Montressor stretched for miles. A small river could be seen at the bottom, gently running along the canyon walls, which were covered with jagged rocks, cactus-like plants, and holes that were homes to giant Scorpiosnakes. At the top stood a young 17-year-old girl with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a bungee-cord tied to her waist. Floating by her shoulder was a small pink blob, who shook with nervousness.

"Don't worry, Morph," Tesoro said, patting the little blob. "I've done this before." Morph chattered angrily at her. She shrugged. "Okay, so it's my first time. But it's not as dangerous as the other stunts I've pulled, right?"

Morph split, turning into a small imitation of Tesoro and an open grave, showing her falling backwards into the small hole.

Tesoro rolled her eyes. "Don't be ridiculous! I'll be fine." She walked closer to the edge, tugging on the bungee cord to make sure it was secured tightly on the rock she tied it to. "Wish me luck." She saluted Morph and leaped.

"Augh!" Morph cried, covering his eyes. He finally got up the courage to peek over the edge where Tesoro dropped. The rope kept stretching, but the young girl hadn't come up yet. "Uh, oh…" Morph began to tremble with worry, floating closer to the edge.

"WOO-HOOOOOO!" Tesoro shot up into the air as the bungee-cord snapped back, startling Morph, who melted onto the ground, fainting. Tesoro stuck her arms out, embracing the feel of the wind around her as she continued to soar upward.

Falling back down, but landing easily on her feet in a crouching position, she panted with excitement from the adrenalin that surged through her body. "That was fun." She turned to Morph, who lied on the ground in shock. She scooped the little blob up in her hands and tickled him back into consciousness. He giggled and looked up at Tesoro, then began to chatter furiously at the young teen.

"Oh, c'mon Morph! It wasn't that bad! …You should try it sometime." Morph shot her a glare, but she shrugged it off. "What, can't a girl have a little fun?"

Morph transformed into a small ruler and an imitation of Tesoro, making it where the ruler was longer than the tiny Tess.

Tesoro huffed. "I am _not_ too little to do these sort of things!" Untying the bungee cord from her waist and picking up her backpack, she stuffed the equipment into her bag and began to trudge off, with Morph following behind her, whimpering softly. She sighed. "It's okay, Morph. I didn't mean to get mad," She held the little blob in her right hand and stroked him with her index finger. "I just… don't like it when people think I can't do things because of how short I am."

Morph chirped in understanding. He knew that the rest of the family always made sure Tesoro was safe (ever since that incident with Cortez), especially when they were concerned with how short she was (no taller than 4 feet and 10 inches) and how lightweight she was (no more than 95 pounds). He sighed, thinking of how upset Jim and Natalie seemed when the doctor told them that their daughter had only weighed 2-and-a-half pounds at birth.

He nuzzled against Tesoro's cheek, letting her know that she shouldn't get upset because of how small she was (after all, he was tinier than her, and he tended to be outstanding as well). "Thanks, Morph," Tesoro said with a chuckle. "You really know how to brighten my day. Now, let's go. It's almost time for lunch."

Morph twirled around Tesoro's head in excitement- and hunger- at the statement, and he grabbed her shirt collar and began to pull her forward, urging her along. "Okay! Okay! I'm coming!" Tesoro hopped onto her solar jet-scooter and, with Morph in her pocket, shot off toward the Benbow Inn…

* * *

"BEN, have you seen Tess?" Sarah asked the Bio Electronic Navigator, as she looked around the Inn, searching for her granddaughter.

"Nope. Haven't seen her all morning, Mrs. Hawkins," BEN replied, clearing a table of dirty dishes. He carried them with ease, piled on top of one another… that is, until a plate on top slipped and shattered on the floor. "Oops…"

Sarah sighed in aggravation and grabbed a broom and dust pan. "Don't worry about it, BEN. I'll clean it up."

"I-I'll try to be more careful next time, ma'am!"

_That's what you said the last time. _Sarah thought grudgingly. She sighed again, looking around the Inn as she cleaned up another broken dish. _I'm getting too old for this. _She looked out the window, wondering when Jim and Natalie would be back from their separate delivery voyages.

Sarah shook her head in disbelief. Jim and Natalie had a lot more to offer, she knew, they should be sailing together like the spacers they are, not as a couple of delivery people. She knew they were destined to explore the galaxy together ever since their first voyage, even though it was a bit of a hassle, especially when Natalie's young sense of adventure got her in trouble…

* * *

"There you are!" Jim snapped, grabbing Natalie by the shoulder and spinning her around to face him. They had stopped at a port for extra supplies, and Natalie had been missing for over two hours since they had arrived. "How many times have I told you not to wander off?"

"What, a lady can't browse around the port?" Natalie scoffed, crossing her arms and sneering at Jim. They hadn't even been on the voyage for a month and already they were getting on each other's nerves. "I was just looking around."

"What you were _doing_ was having everyone worry about where you were! We were supposed to leave 20 minutes ago, you know."

Natalie rolled her eyes. "Oh, don't worry so much, 20 minutes is nothing. We'll have that celestial bronze delivered in no time."

"We would have had it delivered days ago if you'd quit wandering off at every port." Jim muttered.

Natalie glowered at Jim. "Maybe we wouldn't have to make so many stops at so many ports if your cook would stop putting his explosive spice in every dish and bombing the kitchen!"

"Hey, I heard that!" Louigi called from down the port, shaking his fist at Natalie.

"Better be careful what you say about him, Nat." Jim said, lightly chuckling. "He cooks your food, remember?"

"I'd rather starve than eat his flammable food. …And it's Miss Crow, remember?"

Jim shrugged. "Whatever. Let's go, we've lost enough time arguing."

They boarded the ship, and Louigi glared daggers at Natalie as he passed her. "Hey, I'm sorry." she said to him. "Your dishes are exquisite, really."

"Ha! You just don't want me to poison you," Louigi scoffed, turning coldly away from her. "All that talk about me being a fine spacer… all talk! That's all it was! …You didn't mean a word of it, did you?"

"I most certainly did! I _do_ believe you're going to be a fine spacer. I mean, you're the first one I've seen who can tie down and release the sails in no time flat, plus you're the best when it comes to handling the longboats. You can do anything on this ship! …Except cook, no offense."

Louigi blushed. "Cooking was never my specialty, anyway. I only got a good grade in it at the Academy because the teacher didn't want me to blow up another oven."

"But you are a good spacer, as far as I've seen." Natalie laid a hand on the Italian's shoulder. "Even better than Hawkins."

Louigi laughed. "No one is better than Jim, Natalie. He was sailing across the galaxy even _before_ he came to the Academy." He turned her gaze toward Jim, who stood at the helm with his first mate, Gene. "Back then, he was like me… didn't believe he could do anything right."

Natalie looked at Louigi quizzically. "Hawkins, believing he couldn't do anything right? Seems like a strange image for someone who boasts about knowing more about sailing than anyone."

"Ah, we're all braggers, Natalie. Yet, Jim knows how to keep his bragging to a minimum, unlike the rest of us."

"So, what happened? I mean, if he was doubtful of himself, what made him change?"

Louigi shrugged and smiled modestly. "The same thing that helped me change my attitude about myself- a friend gave him a pep talk. Said he had 'the makings of greatness in him' or something like that." He winked at Natalie. "And we're both better people than we were back then." He walked away from Natalie, down to the galley.

Natalie looked up at Jim. It was hard for her to believe that such a confident young man used to be so unsure of himself. "I think it's time I heard about this story of… Treasure Planet." She said to herself, walking up toward Jim.

* * *

Tesoro opened the back door, peeking around to make sure Sarah was still out in the dining area. Seeing that the coast was clear, she motioned Morph to follow her in. She set her backpack on the floor by the counter and grabbed a tub of dishes, carried them over to the sink, and began washing them. Morph transformed into a small sponge and began to help her out.

"Thanks Morph," Tesoro said. "But I'll handle this. There's not too many dishes today."

BEN then burst in, carrying a high stack of dishes, which wobbled and leaned left and right, giving the robot a hard time keeping them balanced. Tesoro rushed over and grabbed the dishes, steadying them for BEN, while Morph flew up and- transforming into a baseball mitt- caught a dish before it hit the floor. They set the dishes by the sink.

"Thanks, Tess," BEN panted. "I thought my arms were going to fall off. …Hey, Tess! Where have you been? We've been looking for you! Your grandma's been worried sick!"

"Just went out for a ride." Tesoro said with a shrug. "Just tell Grandma I slept in."

BEN looked at the clock. "Till noon?"

"Hey, other teenagers have slept in longer."

"Is that so?" A stern, feminine voice said from behind Tesoro. Turning around, she saw that Sarah was standing by the swinging door, hands on hips, glaring at her.

"Well, look at the time!" BEN exclaimed, feeling the tension rise in the room. "I've gotta go… do more Inn stuff!"

"Do more Inn stuff!" Morph repeated nervously, rushing out the door behind BEN to avoid the argument between the teen and her grandmother.

"Tesoro, this is the seventh time you've been late!" Sarah snapped at her granddaughter. "It's hard enough for me and BEN to take care of the breakfast rush ourselves. Will you for once-"

"Grandma, calm down." Tesoro interrupted. "I'm here now, so-" she stopped, noticing Sarah giving her a strict look. "Forget it." She turned to the dishes.

"Uh, Mrs. Hawkins?" BEN called from the swinging door. "The Burlams need refills on the perp juice, pronto!"

"I'll be right there!" Sarah called to BEN, then turned to her granddaughter. "I swear, Tesoro, you act just like your father!" She turned and left the kitchen.

_Yeah, right. _Tesoro thought. _If that were true, I'd be with him on voyages, not washing dishes. _She turned on the radio and a song she was familiar with came on…

_No you don't know what it's like_

_When nothing feels alright_

_You don't know what it's like _

_To be like me…_

"Ain't that the truth," Tesoro thought to herself, scrubbing away at the dishes as she continued to listen to the song.

_To be hurt, to be lost_

_To be left out in the dark_

_To be kicked when you're down_

_To feel like you've been pushed around_

Morph flew in and turned back into a sponge, helping Tesoro scrub the dishes. He turned back to normal and burped out a few bubbles, hoping it would cheer up the young girl, but she continued washing the dishes, not paying attention to the small blob.

_To be on the edge of breaking down_

_With no one there to save you_

_No you don't know what it's like…_

"Welcome to my life," Tesoro muttered as that verse of the song came up. She leaned against the sink and sighed, then turned the radio off and left the last of the dishes to soak in the sink as she stepped outside. Morph turned into a pair of hands and began to finish her chore, not wanting to see her get into further trouble with Sarah.

The young teen leaned against the wall and looked out at the docks, thinking of how nice it would be to get off Montressor and have some _real_ fun for a change.

* * *

A/N: Ah, the rebellious teenager, so angry, so impatient, so daring, so… familiar. By the way, the song above is called _Welcome to my Life _by Simple Plan. I thought it would suit Tesoro's character and add a bit of foreshadowing to the story. Please R/R. Flames are not necessary, so put away the matches.


	9. Chapter 9: The Dream

And now, the moment you've all been waiting for- drum roll please (a drum rolls across the room) -Chapter Nine!

Disclaimer: I don't own the movie, just the OCs, so tell the Disney lawyers to get off my case! …ha ha. Get it? Lawyers? _Case_? …(silence)… Uh, okay then, let's get on with it.

* * *

Tesoro stared out the window of her room at the Benbow Inn, which showed a clear view of the docks, as she anxiously waited for her mom or dad to get back. She had been working at the Benbow Inn for four weeks now since they've left, and she was wondering how they were doing, let alone if they'd get back safely.

There was a knock at her door and BEN came in. "Hey, Tess," he said cheerfully, but as soon as he saw the serious look on her face, his cheerfulness toned down. "Uh, h-how's it going?"

"Good," Tesoro replied bluntly, only taking a quick glance at BEN.

"You, uh… missed dinner." BEN walked over to her, close enough to lay a hand on her shoulder, in case she needed comfort. "Are you… feeling okay?"

"I'm fine, BEN. Leave me alone." The tone of her voice was hard, and she stood up and walked away from the robot.

"Oh, okay… just wanting to… make sure you were… fine…" BEN, head low, began walking out of the room, a bit hurt by Tesoro's tone.

The young girl sighed. "I didn't mean to sound so harsh, BEN. It's just… well, I've been coming to work here every time Mom and Dad go on a voyage, and I never get to go with either of them! I mean, for gosh sakes, I'm almost 18, and they treat me like a child!"

"I take it you miss them?"

Tesoro nodded. "Yeah, but only a little. I guess I'm getting used to them dumping me here at Grandma's every time they take a trip." She sat on her bed, taking out a locket, which showed holographic images of her and her parents on picnics, playing games in the living room, and Jim showing her how to build a solar surfer. "I keep dreaming one day Dad will take me on another voyage…" She closed her locket and sighed. "But who am I kidding? He never even helped me finish my own solar surfer!"

BEN cringed. "Ooh, yeah, and you tried to finish it yourself and took it on a test run…"

"…And it shot off before I was ready…"

"…And slammed and stuck onto the side of a customer's vessel." Tesoro and BEN said together.

"You know, he should have at least _taught_ me how to ride the thing." Tesoro grimaced. "But he didn't, and I don't even know why." BEN opened his mouth to say something, but Tesoro interrupted him. "And _don't_ say it's because he's had a lot of deliveries, because I know for a fact that he's had at _least _six months of free time to show me!" Grabbing a pillow, she held it against her chest and buried her face in it. "…I doubt he cares."

"Oh, sweetheart, of course he cares!" BEN put a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. "He just has a… weird way of showing it. You know how parents are- very protective of their kids, never wanting to let them run off and do something dangerous."

"Or do anything at all." The way Tesoro's voice was muffled, it sounded more like, "Hor oo hany-in hah hall." But BEN could still make out the words.

"Well, that's the thing about being a parent. You sometimes care so much about your kids, that you want to find a way to keep them safe forever."

"Heven ifth ih heans heavin hem hehine."

"Uh… I didn't catch that. Come again?"

Tesoro snapped her head up, angrily. "I said, 'Even if it means leaving them behind.'!"

"Yikes! Okay! No need to throw a hissy-fit!" Tesoro glowered at him, and it made him flinch of how much she resembled Jim when she got angry. "Um… Okay, I can see you need a little 'quiet time', so I'll… just go. Now." With that, he rushed out of the room.

Tesoro sighed, then looked back out the window. "I doubt you know what it's like," she said, referring to her father.

* * *

The _CSS. MAELSTROM _docked in the Benbow Inn's harbor, and Jim walked off the ship, followed by Gene, who was just as exhausted from the trip as Jim. "Oy! Ten _weeks_ in space can give you _such_ a _crick_ in the _neck_!" Gene groaned, cracking his neck.

"Well, we can relax now," Jim said, patting his blue, four-armed first mate on the back. He looked around the harbor, curiously. "I wonder when Natalie will arrive… unless, she already has."

"Well, we won't know until we get to the Inn." Gene looked up the hill and groaned. "Sheesh, Hawkins! You never told me you lived on _high_ ground!"

Jim chuckled. "That sounds funny, coming from someone who climbs around the masts all day."

"There's a difference between _hike_ and _climb_, Jim. With climbing, you mainly use your arms," Gene stuck out all four of his arms to prove his point. "Whereas with hiking, you use your legs, and I don't think you've noticed, but… _I don't have extra legs_!"

"Ah, you need to exercise your legs more, anyway. You can't always rely on your arms, you know. Now, c'mon and lets go in. I'm tired."

Tesoro was asleep when Jim arrived at the Inn, he could tell. He snuck over to her bed and pulled the covers over her more. He looked over and saw that Morph was snuggled under her chin, softly snoring. He gently ran a finger along the blob, making him giggle in his sleep. He left the room and went to his own. Pulling off his boots and collapsing on the bed, he immediately fell asleep…

* * *

…And that's it started. A creaking noise from above woke him from his slumber, and he sat up in bed, noticing he was still on his ship. _I must have just dreamed about home. _Jim thought, noticing the daylight through the windows of his quarters. Running out on deck, he noticed it wasn't daylight at all, but a star going supernova! _What? But how…?_

"Secure all sails!" A familiar voice shouted among the chaos. Looking over, Jim saw that it was Mr. Arrow.

"Mr. Arrow?" Jim exclaimed in confusion. That's when he noticed the change in his voice. It now sounded higher pitched and younger. "Huh?" Looking down, he noticed he was wearing his old cabin boy clothes. "What the heck's going on?"

"Jimbo, give me a hand here!" Yet another familiar voice shouted. Jim recognized it easily: John Silver. He suddenly realized he was on the top of one of the masts. Not hesitating, he carefully maneuvered his way along the mast, helping Silver tie down the sails.

That's when a large rock shard hit between them, causing Silver to lose his balance. "Silver!" Jim cried, rushing to grab the cyborg's lifeline. …But it wasn't there. Jim frantically looked around, noticing there were no lifelines. "Silver, NO!"

"Help me, Jiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiim-" Silver cried as he fell through space. Jim wanted to leap overboard to save him, but something held him back. _No, no no no! _he thought, tears welling up in his eyes.

That's when he noticed the orange planet in the distance. The star's supernova disaster had faded as the ship began to hover toward the planet. Its description was familiar: purple surface, a misty, gray fog surrounding it, and twin blue moons orbiting it.

"_Jim…" _a voice called from the planet, the voice of Silver. _"Help me…"_

"S-Silver?" Jim stammered, his eyes still filled with tears. "W-where are you?"

"_I'm trapped here, on dis confounded planet! You need tah hurry!"_

"What planet? Where? Silver, what's going on?" Jim's voice returned frantic again, as he stood on the mast, looking around for his friend. "Silver?"

"_Hurry, Jim! I need help! I…!" _Silver's voice began to fade.

"Silver!" Jim leaned over, but it was too far, and he began to fall into infinite blackness. He tried to scream, but couldn't make a sound. He only heard Silver's faint voice in the distance.

"_Jim! Jim! …JIMMY!"_

* * *

"Hey, Jimmy! Wake up! WAKE UP!" BEN yelled frantically, shaking his friend from sleep.

"What? Huh?" Jim shot up in bed, sweating. Looking around, he realized he was in his room at the Benbow Inn, and he released a sigh of relief.

"About time you woke up! I was afraid you'd pulled a Sleeping Beauty, and with your wife gone and unable to kiss you, it would be pretty hard to wake you up."

"So, it was just a dream? Oh, thank God." Jim sighed again, resting his forehead on his hand.

"And a pretty bad one too, from the sounds of it. You kept screaming, 'Silver! Silver!', and tossing and turning and tossing and turning and tossing and turning-" Jim slapped BEN across the face, snapping him out of one of his "short circuiting" episodes. "Thanks, I needed that."

Jim sat in bed, deep in thought. What did the dream mean? Was Silver really in danger? Or was it just a result from his exhaustion? He got out of bed and began walking down to the dining area. It was still early, so not many customers were around.

He found his mother, clearing a table of dishes. "Morning, Jim. Did you sleep well?" she asked him, smiling.

"Not really," Jim replied solemnly, which wiped the smile off Sarah's face. "I need to contact the Doc. I need to find some information on a certain planet…"

* * *

A/N: Ooh, it's finally getting interesting! R/R. Flames burn, so please don't send them.


	10. Chapter 10: Talk about Silver

Well! Chapter ten at last, huh? (It would've been up sooner if I wasn't tormented by a writer's block)

Writer's block: Ha ha!

Shut up!

Disclaimer: I don't own Treasure Planet, only Tesoro, Natalie, and a bunch of other OCs.

* * *

Tesoro watched as her father packed his duffel bag. He hadn't even been home two weeks and he was already taking off for another voyage. Normally, this would anger his daughter, but after overhearing the conversation she heard between him and the Doc, she wasn't _quite_ irritated…

"_That's it, Doc." _Jim had said, pointing to something in a book that was open on the table he and Delbert sat at in his room. _"That's the planet I need to find."_

"_Jim, do you even know what planet that is?" _Delbert had asked with both fear and concern. _"That's Planet Xenta!"_

"_What's so dangerous about it?"_

"_Didn't you ever pay attention in Galaxeology at the Academy? Xenta is the one planet with the strongest gravity pull in the entire universe! If a ship were to even hover even 10 knots within its radius, they'd be sucked into its atmosphere at a deadly speed!"_

"_So it's a deadly vacuum in space. That won't keep me from going there."_

"_Why do you want to go there anyway? It's complete and utter suicide!"_

Jim had paused. _"A friend needs me." _And that's all he said before he left the room, leaving Delbert baffled.

Tesoro understood what he meant by 'friend'. Obviously, he was talking about Silver (he always brought up the cyborg when he told her about his trek to Treasure Planet, though he left out the part about him being behind the mutiny). She knew this because she always remembered the look in his eyes when he mentioned his name- a look of sadness, yet joy.

Plus, it was the name she had heard him screaming that morning from his nightmare (which she heard about from BEN). That is why she didn't protest when he told her he was prematurely heading on another voyage- because Silver needed his help with… something.

"So… what's the voyage this time, dad?" Tesoro asked, pretending she didn't know the reason.

Jim turned around, startled. He hadn't noticed Tesoro standing in the doorway, watching him. "Oh, I…" he tried to come up with an excuse, but the way his daughter looked at him- with a stern look but eyes filled with hurt- he knew he couldn't lie to her. "I'm going off to save a friend. …Silver, to be exact. I think he's in danger."

This surprised Tesoro. She wasn't expecting her dad to tell her the whole truth. "What kind of danger?"

"I don't know, but whatever it is, it can't be good if it caused me that bad a nightmare… I take it you must have heard about it?"

Tesoro shrugged, innocently. "What makes you say that?"

"BEN."

Tesoro blushed. She forgot her dad knew BEN better than anyone else, so _of course _he'd know the robot would tell everyone, including her. "Yeah. He told me."

"I guess you find it ridiculous that I'm going on a risky voyage all because of some dream I had, right?"

"Of course not, dad! That dream must've been a message, a sign that you should go out and find Silver! It may sound ridiculous to the mind, but to the heart it's something else. And if your heart says to go for it, then… well, go for it!"

Even though her words sounded confident, Jim could still see worry in her eyes. He walked over and hugged his daughter. "I'll come back, Tess. I promise."

_Leave it to dad to squeeze my tears loose. _Tesoro thought, hugging her father tightly as tears rolled down her eyes. "Just be careful when you reach Xenta."

Jim looked at his daughter, suspiciously. "How did you know I was going to Xenta?"

"Eavesdropping." Tesoro shrugged, apologetically.

Jim rolled his eyes, then shook his head and smiled. "Of course."

"Hey, Jim!" Gene called from downstairs. "The ship's waiting!"

"Hang on, Gene!" Jim called down to his first-mate. "I still need to say goodbye to my family, you know!"

"Oh. Okay!" Gene's voice then turned his attention to Louigi, though his voice could still be heard from upstairs. "Hold on to your explosive horseradish, Lou! Jim has to take care of a touching family matter!"

"Oh, fine! Take your time!" Louigi called up to Jim, though he could sense sarcasm in the Italian's voice.

"He hasn't changed a bit, I take it?" Tesoro pointed out.

"Not really." Jim replied with a chuckle. "Oh, well. You know what they say: You can change a sailor's rank, but you can't change the sailor."

"Who said that?"

"I did."

Tesoro chuckled at her father's witty response, then hugged him again. "I'm going to miss you." Then something occurred to her. "What are we going to tell mom after you leave?"

Jim's shoulder's sagged. He knew Natalie would be devastated if she found out he went out on a dangerous trek to find his pirate friend. After all, she never did like the sound of the cyborg's character when he first told her about Treasure Planet …

* * *

"You mean, he burned down the Inn, caused a mutiny, threatened your friends, and endangered your very life, and you _still_ let him go?" Natalie Crow gasped after Jim had told her the tale of his treasure hunt.

It had been two months since they left the Spaceport to deliver the celestial bronze, and they sat in the galley that night in the corner where they could talk privately, away from the rest of the crew (it occurred to Natalie that Jim didn't want too many people to hear, and now she knew why).

Jim cringed, feeling he had said too much. "Not so loud," he said to Natalie. "I know it sounds reckless, but-"

"_Sounds_ reckless?" Natalie scoffed, raising her voice as she stood up, glowering at Jim. "It _was_ reckless, Hawkins! You, the boy who had saved a dozen lives, went off and set free the man who caused it all? What were you thinking?"

"Natalie, pipe down!" Jim pulled Natalie down. "Look, it may seem bad to _you_, but _you_ don't know what Silver had done for me! If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be the man I am today-"

"_Another_ reason to loathe the scoundrel,"

Jim's expression hardened. "I wouldn't even _be_ here if it wasn't for 'that scoundrel'." Natalie looked at him curiously, though she still glowered. "Yeah, he was a pirate; yeah he caused a lot of damage to get his hands on Flint's treasure… but he gave it all up to _save my life_."

Natalie huffed. "One good deed doesn't erase a bad deed, Hawkins," She shook her head. "I can't believe you'd even consider him a friend for the things he had done."

"If you count him changing my life, I would believe it." Jim stood up and left the galley, leaving Natalie alone at the table.

Gene had seen Jim leave, and went over to Natalie, carrying two cups of hot coffee. "Wow, what was _that_ all about?" he asked.

"Apparently, your captain is a knucklehead." Natalie replied, grudgingly. "Did he ever tell you about his journey to Treasure Planet?"

Gene laughed. "Of course I have! Everyone has heard about the Great Jim Hawkins, who boldly faced pirates and discovered the loot of a thousand worlds!"

Natalie sneered. "Well, what 'the great Jim Hawkins' probably never told you that he was close to Silver."

Gene nodded. "Yeah, Jim did say the cyborg had a rough character- putting him through hard labor, giving him a hard time on the trip, and suddenly taking off- but all the while, before they found Treasure Planet, Silver had shown something to Jim..."

Natalie rolled her eyes. "How to plan a mutiny?"

"Nope. He showed he actually cared for him, and had complete confidence in him as well."

Natalie leaned in, intrigued by the blue, four-armed sailor's words. Jim said Silver was a good friend (though she doubted it), but he never told her how the cyborg felt about him. "How did he show it?"

Gene leaned back, grinning. "Did Jim ever tell you about his father, Anthony Hawkins?" Natalie shook her head. "Of course not, that's because he left Jim when he was just a young boy, causing my dear friend to lose trust in everyone… including himself." Natalie gaped. Louigi had told her about how rebellious Jim was, but she never knew the reason. "Yep, it was hard on both him and his mother. He always caused trouble- especially on his solar surfer- and it didn't make it any better on either of them, especially when the coppers got involved."

"I didn't think he was so… troublesome."

Gene sipped his coffee. "Yeah, well, that was before he met Silver. At first, he said, they didn't trust each other- Jim never said why, maybe it was because he hated being bossed around, and Silver didn't like having to deal with a rebel- _anyway_, their ideas of each other changed throughout the voyage from their time together, but what really sparked their friendship was… wait, did he already tell you about the death of Mr. Arrow?"

Natalie gasped. "Someone _died_?"

"I'll take that as a 'no'."

"What's going on? Who died?" Louigi asked, overhearing only part of the conversation. "Listen, I-I know my cooking is bad, but-"

"We're talking about Treasure Planet, Louigi."

"Oh. …Okay, then. Uh, continue…" Louigi turned and walked off, blushing from embarrassment. _Poor man, _Natalie thought.

"As I was saying," Gene continued. "Captain Amelia's first mate, Mr. Arrow, went overboard- the work of one of those nefarious pirates, Jim said, though he first thought it was his fault, because he was in charge of the lifelines and… you see where I'm going with this?" Natalie nodded. "Well, there he was, sitting in the shrouds, blaming himself…" Using his two right hands, Gene set one sideways on the table to represent the shrouds, and made a four-fingered gesture of his other hand sitting on top of it, representing Jim. "He thought he was the world's biggest screw-up… Until Silver came along," Using one of his left hands, he made a two-finger walking gesture to represent Silver. "And, I don't remember what his exact words were, he talked Jim out of his emo-moment, claiming he had 'the makings of greatness in him' or something."

Natalie sat there, silent. _If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be the man I am today. _Jim's words echoed in her mind. Yet she couldn't help but wonder… how could a down-right loathsome pirate care so much for a troubled rebel?

"I don't know why he cared, either." Gene sighed, as if reading Natalie's thoughts. "Who knows? Maybe Silver saw a bit of himself in Jim, or maybe he just saw hope for him. …So, what did you say earlier, something about mutiny?"

Natalie blushed, feeling ashamed of what she said about Silver (though she still thought the man sounded like a rapscallion). She lied, "Oh, nothing. I just didn't like how Jim described him, and assumed he was a bad guy."

Gene smiled. "You don't have to lie to me, Natalie." he whispered. "I know a bit about Jim's 'description' of Silver as well." he gave her a wink.

"You mean, you know he was-"

"I wouldn't say it out loud, Nat," Gene looked around, making sure the rest of the crew weren't listening in. They weren't. "There are some people out there who'd like to skin Silver alive, not only local authorities, but others as well. For his sake- as well as Jim's- let's keep this hush-hush."

Natalie eyed Gene, suspiciously. "You and Jim seem pretty defensive about Silver,"

"Hey, I'm not just defending Silver. I'm defending Jim." Natalie cocked her head to the side, confused. "Trust me, Natalie, if you were an enemy of Silver looking for revenge, but he wasn't around, who would be your next choice to get vengeance on him?" Natalie thought about it a moment, her eyes widening in understanding. "Exactly. Heck, Silver's own crew would've even got to him if they knew he was buddy-buddy with Jim! Just ask Jim yourself…"

Natalie sighed. "I don't think Jim will want to talk to me about it. After all, I still wouldn't trust Silver if he were around, despite what you and Jim said about him. …That, and Jim's pretty mad at me right now."

"Ah, Jim's just a little _steamed_," Gene held the other cup of coffee up to Natalie. "Care for a cup?"

"No thanks. I'm pretty tired, so I'll be turning in soon, and I don't want the caffeine to keep me awake."

"I can get you some decaffeinated, if you'd like-"

"Mama Mia! Who the heck spit-a in the coffee pot?" Lougi cried out. Half the crew gasped, some spewed out their own coffee, and others snickered, thinking he was joking.

Gene looked into his coffee mug with a disgusted look. "On second thought, I'm with you. I think I'll turn in, too… after I rinse out my mouth. *Gack!*" Running off and gagging, Gene left the galley, along with a few other crew mates who also needed to rinse out their mouths.

Natalie pushed the coffee mug away, happy that she decided to avoid drinking coffee that night. As Louigi cursed in Italian and some of the crew mates gagged, Natalie thought hard about her conversation with Jim. Finally, she decided she owed him an apology.

* * *

Jim walked onto his ship, ready to set off on his trip to Xenta. He looked back, waving to his mother, his daughter, Morph, the Dopplers, and a few others who came to watch him and his crew set off. He decided to take BEN along, knowing he'd need his navigational help on _this_ voyage.

"Ready to set off, Captain Jimmy Sir!" BEN called, saluting Jim from the helm.

Jim gave one last wave to the rest of his family, and then commanded his crew to prepare for take-off.

Tesoro kept waving until the _CSS MAELSTROM _blasted off into the Etherium. Inside her mind, she rehearsed what her father told her to tell her mother: _"Tell her I've been called off on an urgent voyage and won't be back for a few months. And if she asks how urgent, just say that I said it was a personal matter."_

_I hope she believes it. _Tesoro thought. "Gosh, I wonder how mom's gonna react…" she said aloud. Possibly _too_ loud.

"React to what?" A female voice asked. Tesoro turned around and gasped, seeing her mother standing right behind her.

"Mom! You're home!" Tesoro's voice was more shocked than happy.

"Well, yeah… I figured everyone had gathered to see my ship come in. Looks like you've all come to watch your father take off instead. …Where's he going, anyway?"

Tesoro gulped. "He's on a personal- and very urgent- voyage."

Natalie crossed her arms and looked at her daughter. "_How_ personal?"

_Ah, crud… _Tesoro thought, mentally kicking herself. "Um, it's a long story. I'll tell you when we get back home."

"Home's a long ways away, sweetie," Natalie's voice was stern. "Might as well spill it."

Tesoro sighed in defeat. "He's going off… to help a friend."

Natalie looked over at Sarah and the Doppler children. "On second thought, I'm tired." she said hastily. "You can tell me later."

As they boarded an interstellar bus to their home, Morph walked over to Tesoro and- after making sure no one was looking- turned into an imitation of Silver, muttering questionably as he did so.

Tesoro nodded. "You've got it, Morph." she said quietly. "Dad's off to find Silver."

Morph resumed his original form, chattering happily, but his joy didn't last long when he saw the concerned look on Tesoro's face.

* * *

A/N: Wow, Natalie sure has it out for Silver… but could it be more than because of his mutiny? (dun dun _DUN_).

OMGitsEMILY: Sorry if the flashback's about Jim and Natalie confuse you.

Anon: Glad you think my story is still cool.

Please R/R. Flames are good for making s'mores, but don't send them anyway.


	11. Chapter 11: When You Miss Your Father

New Chapter: Here I am!

Me: Good! Let's get this show on the road!

Disclaimer: Still don't own Treasure Planet, but I own a DVD of the movie :D

* * *

I would like to say Natalie took the news calmly when she got home, when Tesoro explained the whole story of Jim going off to a dangerous planet to find Long John Silver, a man Natalie wouldn't necessarily trust. I would like to say she understood how important the mission was to her husband, and how bad he wanted to save his friend.

…_But_, if I told you that, I would be lying. Natalie, after hearing about Jim's nightmare and his little quest, pretty much exploded. "I can't _believe_ he's going off to look for that scoundrel all because of some dream!" She yelled, pacing angrily around the living room. "Has he gone _insane_?"

"But Mom, what if it was actually an omen?" Tesoro asked. Morph sat on her shoulder, flinching every time Natalie had an outburst. "After all, dreams _always_ have a meaning."

"_I_ think his dream meant he's completely suicidal! Going off to Xenta… For all I know, that fiendish cyborg probably isn't within an intergalactic _mile_ of that treacherous planet!"

"Mom?"

"What?" Natalie's voice was harsh, causing Morph to duck behind Tesoro's shoulder.

Tesoro pet the little blob, calming him down. "How come… every time Silver gets brought up in conversation, you regard him with hatred? You act like he's some sort of villain or something."

Natalie calmed down a bit. _Jim never told her… _she realized, then wondered why he didn't tell her that Silver was the pirate behind the mutiny on the _RLS LEGACY_.

"Tess, there's something you need to know about Silver…" Natalie said, sitting down by her daughter, then began to explain about what happened during the Treasure Planet voyage, which led to her explaining why she didn't think Silver was trustworthy- the same excuse she told Jim on their first voyage…

* * *

Jim sat in the shrouds of his ship, overlooking the Etherium. It was a clear, beautiful night; the stars shown brightly (without going supernova), the twin moons of Planet Gunous lit up space, and a comet shot by. But Jim couldn't enjoy it, after his conversation with the Crow girl…

_She has no right to talk about him that way. _Jim thought bitterly. _Sure, I thought about him the same way when I met him, but… He changed, didn't he? She just doesn't know him the way I did._

"J-Jim?" A voice said from below him. Looking down, he saw Natalie, looking back up at him. He sneered, then turned away. "I… I came to talk to you."

"What, you didn't get enough kicks about trash-talking my friend?" Jim scoffed, glowering for miles out into the galaxy.

Natalie had several dirty comebacks come to her mind, but she pushed them aside. "Actually, I came to… apologize, for my behavior. …You were right. It was not my place to judge your friend for what he did. I'm sorry."

Jim sighed. "You didn't tell the crew, did you? About his mutiny?"

Natalie shook her head. "Not a word. …But, I must ask, why did you keep it a secret from your crew- your friends- but tell me, a woman you've only known for a couple months?"

Jim shrugged. "I… I don't know. I guess, while I was talking to you, that… I felt I could tell you anything, open up to you and tell you everything about my life."

Natalie was surprised. "What… what caused you to think that?" She then gave Jim a stern look and put a hand on her hip. "…Alright, how much of Louigi's coffee did you drink?"

"It wasn't the coffee." Jim chuckled. "I wouldn't want to touch it after Kenny- Louigi's cabin boy- spit in it."

Natalie laughed. "I did hear about that. Poor boy is going to be in trouble when Louigi finds out."

"You can say that again. …But, anyway, I don't know why I was so open with you. I guess I must have saw something in your eyes."

"My eyes?" Natalie blinked several times. "Like what?"

Jim looked at her, a small smile growing on his face. "Trust." He climbed down from the shrouds and stood next to her. "I know, it sounds sappy… but when you asked me to tell you about Treasure Planet, I saw some sort of glitter in your eyes, as if it were saying, _'You can tell me anything,'_."

Natalie blushed. "Well… I was always known for being trustworthy."

Jim cleared his throat. "Speaking of trust… why did you think Silver would be a bad guy- I mean, despite his past… deeds."

Natalie sighed, and Jim could sense the sadness in her voice. "A long time ago, my father was out boating. He was gone for hours. That evening, we got a call from the police, telling us he was fatally injured…" She was trying to keep her voice steady, as tears welled up in her eyes. "We visited him in the hospital. It was a terrible scene- every part of his body was hooked up with tubes, and he was hardly breathing…"

Jim didn't like where Natalie's story was going, but he didn't stop her. "He-he was hardly breathing," she continued, slightly sobbing. "His heart rate kept dropping as my mother and I frantically asked him what had happened. …The last word he said was, 'Silver'… and that's the last time I ever heard his voice." Natalie then began to weep, and Jim put his arm around her to comfort her. "I-I-I know I shouldn't jump to conclusions- after all, I was only nine at the time- b-but I assumed he was telling us the name of his killer. That's what the police had told us- someone had jumped onto his boat and beat him up, stealing his money and everything. They tried to catch up to the culprit, but he had vanished."

Jim hugged Natalie gently, patting her back. "Shh, it's okay, Natalie. I understand. …But, I doubt Silver would be the type of man to just run off and mug someone. After all, he was namely obsessed with finding Flint's trove, so I doubt he would spend his time stealing from others."

Natalie looked up at Jim with teary eyes. "But if that were true, then why did my father say his name?"

Jim sighed. "I… don't know, Natalie." He turned away from her, trying to deny that Silver would steal from another man and then try to kill him. _Then again, he _was_ a pirate… _Jim thought, then scolded himself. _No. I-It couldn't have been him. …But, then how did Natalie's dad know his name? …Oh, Silver, tell me it's not true…_

"Louigi had told me he gave you a pep talk," Natalie said, breaking Jim's thoughts. "And you did say he had shaped you into the man you are today. And Gene told me you didn't trust him at first, until he gave you confidence after… something bad happened on the _LEGACY_."

Jim nodded. "He believed in me. I heard him tell the other pirates that he was just saying everything just so I wouldn't figure them out- though, I already had before I met them- but when he told me it wasn't true, I didn't want to believe him, thinking he was just trying to get the map to the treasure… But I knew he was telling the truth."

"I also heard about your father, Anthony…" Natalie stopped herself, afraid that she might have upset Jim, but he didn't seem phased.

"Yeah… he just took off one day, and never came back." Jim sighed. "He told me the night before he left that he wanted to explore the outreaches of space for a while… then he left before I could say goodbye, and that was the last time I saw him."

"I'm… sorry."

Jim shrugged. "Don't be. Silver solved the problem later."

"By talking some confidence into you?"

"Not only that… but caring for me the way my dad couldn't. …He was like a father to me."

Natalie stood there, in surprised silence. She felt ashamed about accusing Silver then, but that didn't erase her memory of what happened to her father. Her theory of his death remained, though she seemed to be doubting it now.

"It's okay if you still don't like him," Jim said, as if reading her thoughts. "I just think, after what happened on Treasure Planet, that he had changed."

"Perhaps he has, but you may never know unless you see him again."

Jim sighed and looked out into the Etherium. "I hope I see him again, someday. I miss him."

Natalie hooked her arm around Jim's and lied her head on his shoulder. "Yeah… I miss my dad, too." And they both stood there, gazing out into the Etherium, arm-in-arm.

"Ah, Lamoure," Gene sighed dreamily, as he and Louigi sat on the top of the stairs of the galley, watching the moment. "I think they're finally warming up to each other, don't you?"

"Oh, absolutely," Louigi said, smiling. "You know, I had a good feeling about those two ever since we took off."

"You also said you wouldn't use anymore of your 'special ingredients', and now we've got a busted stove and cold food to eat! If it weren't for the electric coffee pot, our insides would be frozen solid."

Louigi's smile faded. "That reminds me…" he walked back down to the galley. "_KENNY!_"

"Oh, my gosh! He's gonna kill Kenny!" Gene rushed down to the galley. Knowing Louigi's temper too well, he knew the poor cabin boy was in for it.

Jim and Natalie looked back at the galley's entrance, hearing the commotion. "We'd better go back Gene up." Jim sighed with a chuckle, and he and Natalie both ran down to save Kenny's life.

* * *

Tesoro sat in silence when her mom finished, stunned to hear that Silver had been a mutinous pirate… and possibly her grandfather's (from Natalie's side) murderer. Morph whimpered, unable to bear the news as well.

"I-I could be wrong." Natalie said. "After all, your father _did_ say he wasn't that kind of man, and he's an excellent judge of character."

"Excellent judge of character." Morph agreed, morphing into a 'thumbs-up'.

Tesoro nodded, solemnly. "Yes, that's true… But, how do you think your dad- grandpa knew his name?" She asked. Morph looked at Natalie and turned into a question mark.

Natalie shrugged. "I don't know. Perhaps your grandfather met him while boating, or maybe he was an old friend of his…" She tried to sound convinced herself, but Tesoro could still sense the doubt in her voice. "I do know one thing, though: your father was right; Silver probably _did_ change, though we won't know until your father comes home."

_If he does, _Natalie couldn't help but think. Patting her daughter's shoulder, she left the living room, feeling ashamed of her pessimistic thoughts.

* * *

_5 weeks later…_

Tesoro looked out her bedroom window of the Benbow Inn. Her mother had been called away for another delivery, making her end up working as a dishwasher. Again.

But she wasn't upset about her job. She was more concerned about her father, especially overhearing a conversation between two sailors that afternoon as she was clearing a table…

"…_Lost in space," _The first sailor, a Pigid alien, had said sadly. _" 'Heard there's going to be a search for the ship and the crew in the area."_

"_What a shame," _The other sailor, a Snailid alien, sighed as he shook his head. _"To be so young, with a wife and kid, and then disappear in that quadrant."_

"_Aye, it is,"_

"_What was the name of the missing ship?"_

"_It was, the CSS MAELSTROM." _

Tesoro had bolted up to her room, stunned at the news, and had been sitting on her bed in grief since then. Sarah had tried talking to her to come out, Morph had tried to cheer her up… but she stayed silent, blocking out their voices. She couldn't help but compare herself to the little boy she had once met (though, it seemed ridiculous to call him little, especially since he had been older than her), always staring off into the distance…

…Then sneaking away at night to find someone she loved. Tesoro had packed her duffel bag, then got on her solar-scooter, heading toward the Spaceport. Her compass hung from her neck- the only thing she had left of her father, and the only motivation she had to help search for him.

* * *

A/N: Whoa… now it's _really_ getting interesting!

Anon: A loyal reader, you know how to really write a review, saying it all with just one word at a time. Thank you!

OMGitsEMILY: Yet another good reviewer, I'm glad you understand the flashbacks :D

Please R/R. Flames… um, burn? (Crap, I'm running out of remarks!)


	12. Chapter 12: Taking Off

Me: Chapter 12, coming right up!

Readers: Yay! (fireworks shoot off, setting the roof on fire)

Me: Ack! Call the Fire Dept!

Disclaimer: I still don't own Treasure Planet, just the OC, but it's still a cool movie!

* * *

An old man boating watched as a blonde-haired teen soared by on a scooter, his head covered with a deep-blue cap, wearing a black leather jacket. What the old man didn't realize that this 'boy' was actually a girl, let alone the daughter of Jim Hawkins, in disguise to avoid being recognized by others. _I hope this boy disguise works. _she thought. _It had better, otherwise cutting my hair would have been for nothing…_ She shook her head, focusing on her mission rather than the makeover she gave herself with her pocketknife.

Tesoro watched as her home planet, Gogala, shrank into the distance as she veered off into space. She felt awful about leaving her mother behind with nothing but a note with her explanation, but she just _had _to help find her father!

_Now I know how Dad felt before he left. _she thought sadly. She turned away and looked ahead, resisting the temptation to fly back home. _I've got to find him!_

She took out her compass, which glowed to life. Several years ago, she had BEN help her fix it to point in the right direction. They had tinkered with it, making it so the holographic compass points glowed within the mechanism's screen, rather than popping up like a jack-in-the-box. BEN had even added a color-switch, so the lights could be whatever color she liked (though she kept it at blue, her favorite color). But no matter what they did with it, it would point in an entirely different direction.

Like it was doing now. Tesoro knew she was heading North-East toward the Spaceport, but the compass was pointing South-West. "What is up with this compass?" Tesoro muttered grimly, shaking the compass furiously. She was about to throw it, when a familiar voice said in her head:

_I'll be with you, no matter where you go_. The words her father said to her the day he gave her the compass, as proof that he believed she could 'chart her own course' and become a sailor. She sighed and put the compass into her duffel bag. It was a piece of junk, but it was the piece of junk that she had left of her father.

Dawn approached as Tesoro arrived at the Spaceport. That's when the problem hit her: How was she supposed to know where the ship for her dad's search was? In fact, she didn't even know the name of it! _Darn! I've gotta start thinking these sort of things through… _She scorned herself.

A couple of sailors were passing by, and Tesoro couldn't help but overhear their conversation:

"A search for the MAELSTROM?" One of the sailors gasped. "But that was lost near Xenta! Who'd be crazy enough to go look for it?"

"Whoever's captaining the _SLR DESTINY_," The other sailor grunted.

_Well, that was convenient. _Tesoro thought, a smile spreading across her face. She stepped up to the two sailors and cleared her throat, catching their attention. "Excuse me, gentlemen? Could you help navigate me toward the _SLR DESTINY_? I'm needed for the voyage."

"3rd port to the left," The first sailor said, then looked at Tesoro quizzically. "Say, aren't you a bit young to be-"

"Thank you!" Tesoro zoomed off on her scooter before either sailor could say another word. _That was close, _she thought with relief. Though, she felt agitated that they mistook her for a younger age. "I hate being short."

She arrived at the port, and her jaw dropped when she saw the _SLR DESTINY_. Its bough, flanks, and stern were pure, marble white, making it glitter in the morning sun's beams; its sails sparkled with various colors as they absorbed solar energy, shining brightly in the wind; on the front was something like a mermaid, but instead of a fin and shell bra it wore a long gown- it, too, was a pearly white. The beams were a golden color (or was it _solid_ gold? $Ka-ching!$) and glowed as well.

Tesoro would have stood there, mystified by the sight, if a large, bulky gray alien didn't push her aside. "Watch it, runt," he grunted with a gruff, low voice. He had dark-blue hair, lime-green eyes, and stood to be at least seven-and-a-half feet tall (for Tesoro, that was almost intimidating). He walked up onto the _DESTINY_.

"Jerk," Tesoro muttered, walking aboard the ship. "Okay, now to find the captain…"

"Looking for the captain, eh?" A feminine- and _very_ familiar- voice said behind her. She turned around and gasped, seeing a short-black-haired felinid standing behind her, wearing a red tunic and black, baggy pants, and a maroon bandana with black corduroy marks on it. It was Valerie Doppler, the rambunctious daughter.

Tesoro snapped herself out of her shock. "Um, yes. …I'd like to join the search for my- er, I mean for the _MAELSTROM_."

"Come with me. I'll take you to my sister, Elizabeth," Valerie said, motioning Tesoro to follow. "She's the head of this ship."

Tesoro's eyes widened. "Elizabeth is the captain of her own ship?" Then she clapped her hands over her mouth, afraid that she had given herself away.

"Actually, it belongs to our mother, Amelia Smollet." Valerie said, seeming unaware of Tesoro's fluke. "She, along with my brother, Eric, and my other sister, April, were trained in the Academy to sail ships like this creaking heap,"

"Creaking heap?" Tesoro found it hard to believe that Valerie could call such a magnificent craft a 'creaking heap'.

"I know, it's all beautiful, blah, blah, blah… But it's not really what I wanted. I don't know about my siblings, but I didn't want to become a spacer. Too much traveling, too much work… if it weren't for the threats of space, I'd abandon this ship right now. I'm only here because my parents insisted… and I have to watch after my brother and sisters."

"What did you want to do instead-"

"Hey, Liz!" Valerie called to her sister, avoiding Tesoro's question. "This kid wants to join! Should I let him?"

The second Doppler daughter, Elizabeth, turned sternly to her sister. They looked exactly alike, except that Elizabeth's hair was red and longer, pulled back behind her head, and Valerie was a bit more muscular. The redhead felinid dressed in a blue uniform, with a brown, yellow-trimmed triangular hat. If it weren't for her yellow eyes, she'd look exactly like her mother.

"For the last time, you are to address me as 'Captain' or 'Ma'am', is that clear?" Elizabeth scorned her sister, who rolled her eyes with a shrug. She sighed, annoyed, then looked at Tesoro, who was in fear of being caught. "Aren't you a bit young to be sailing, dear boy?"

"Since when is there a limit on sailing?" Tesoro asked. Elizabeth glared at her, and she- while changing her voice to a deeper tone- coughed innocently and said, "I mean, I'm old enough. I mean, just because I'm short, doesn't mean I'm too young."

"That's what the other one said," Tesoro heard Valerie scoff quietly.

Elizabeth eyed Tesoro, as if seeing through her disguise (at this point, Tesoro is thinking 'Oh, crud! She's discovered me!'), then smiled, (which relaxed Tesoro a bit). "I suppose we'll need all the help we can get." Elizabeth said. "We do need a cabin boy…"

"_Another_ cabin boy, you mean,"

"Well, yes… Valerie, come with me to my quarters. We need to have a discussion,"

"It had better not be on respecting authority. You know I'm not good at that." Valerie trudged toward Elizabeth's quarters.

Elizabeth turned to follow her, then looked behind her shoulder at Tesoro. "Oh, and Tess? You can lose the 'boy' act. It's not fooling me." With that and a wink, she walked away, leaving Tesoro standing there, stunned in astonishment.

"How did she-" Tesoro wondered aloud, then shrugged. "Must be the high intelligence trait." She turned to walk away, bumping into a blonde felinid in a pink blouse and light-blue pants, with matching pink clips in her hair, easily identified as April, the third Doppler daughter. Tesoro's cap fell off during their collision, and April gawked at her.

"Tesoro?" April gasped, recognizing her friend easily.

"How did you know it was me?"

"Well, when you dress like a boy all the time, it's not hard… though your short hair almost threw me off. Yeesh! It looks like it was cut with a pocket knife!" Tesoro blushed, pulling her hat firmly back on her head. "Wait, what are you doing here?"

"Your sister hired me to assist in the search," It was only half the truth, but she didn't want to alarm April. "She's putting me in as a cabin boy,"

"A cabin boy? We've already got one! …Besides, you know more about sailing than the rest of the crew, I bet. You should be a sailor."

"I know…" Tesoro sighed, now disappointed with her position, but she brushed away her sorrow for now. "But it doesn't matter what my position is, as long as I find my dad."

April's ears bent back in sympathy. "Oh, yeah… he was the captain of the _MAELSTROM_, wasn't he?" Tesoro nodded, solemnly. "Gosh, sorry… but don't worry! We'll find him! But, right now, I'd better take you down to the galley to meet Tyson and Jonesy."

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

"Can you believe Tesoro thought she could fool us with that disguise?" Valerie laughed. "Now, if she really wanted to convince us, she should have dressed like a girl-"

"Valerie!" Eric snapped at his sister. He looked exactly like his father, only without the glasses and his hair was shorter, yet spikier on the top, and rather than a suit, he wore a white shirt with a brown jacket with a pair of darker-brown pants. "You know better than to talk about Tesoro that way! …Even though she does dress like a boy once in a while."

"Once in a while? More like every waking-"

"Hush, you two!" Elizabeth snapped. "Forget about Tess and focus on the mission!"

"I still think it's preposterous to allow the young girl to join us," Eric muttered. "Isn't she a bit young to be traversing the galaxy to Xenta?"

"Bro, she's 17! I think she can handle it." Valerie scoffed, leaning back in Elizabeth's chair and putting her black boots on her desk.

"It doesn't matter," Elizabeth said, angrily smacking Valerie's feet off her desk. "As long as she keeps out of trouble, she'll be fine."

"Ironic, since you're allowing her to _get into _trouble anyway." Eric huffed.

"I believe she's in trouble anyway," Valerie said. "She's obviously ran away from home. You think she'd disguise herself to join us by accident?"

Eric and Elizabeth looked at their sister skeptically, then at each other, their eyes filled with worry. "She wouldn't!" they said in unison.

* * *

She did.

Natalie read the letter over and over, checking to see it she read it correctly, but it kept reading the same:

_I've gone to help search for Dad. Don't come after me. Don't send out the authorities. Just say a prayer for us to find him and bring him home safely._

_Love, Tesoro._

_P.S. Don't have a panic attack after you read this letter, either. _

Natalie began hyperventilating. She bolted up the stairs. "She didn't!" She told herself. She ran around the corner. "She wouldn't!" She burst into Tesoro's room, seeing that her drawers and closet were empty of her clothing, and her window was open. "She did!"

Natalie sat on her daughter's bed, her eyes filling with tears. She decided to reach the Spaceport, to keep an eye out for her sweet little girl- but she restrained herself. If she went after Tesoro, she would only get her in trouble. It was a high crime to stowaway on a ship, and she would be thrown in jail, despite her age (and size), and then Natalie would never forgive herself.

She decided to do as the note said. She got on her knees. "Dear Heavenly Father, keep watch over my baby girl. And may she return home safely with her father and my husband, Jim. Amen." She then looked out the window, worrying on what kind of horror her daughter was facing now…

* * *

Jonesy was the tallest, but Tyson was the most hansom. At least, that's what Tesoro thought when April introduced her to the two boys.

Jonesy stood to be at least 6'3", with a scrawny body. He had light-reddish-brown, shaggy hair, a slightly large nose, and sensitive brown eyes with a smile to match. His ears were a tad big too (one was triple-pierced), but his poofy hair nearly covered them. "Hello," he said to Tesoro. His voice was a normal tone, but with a bit of a high pitch mixed in.

Tyson was just the opposite. He was shorter (about 5'2"), had jet-black, short hair which was covered with a brown bandana, he was more muscular at the arms, pointed ears, and a smile just as sweet as Jonesy's, and a nose that clearly identified him as a hybrid. But it was his copper-brown eyes that really got Tesoro's attention, the way they shined…

"Please tah meet ya, Tes- uh, how do ya say 'er name again, April?" His voice was a bit gruff, but level.

"Tes-or-o." April replied, pronouncing every syllable carefully.

"Uh, huh.." Tyson turned back to Tesoro. "Would ya mind if I called ya 'Tessy'?"

"Uh, no. That's fine." Tesoro replied. She felt her face get hot, obviously meaning she was blushing. She had heard his accent before, but her mind went blank when he spoke to her.

"Well, I'm needed back up on deck," April said, giving Tesoro an encouraging pat on the back. "Someone's got to navigate this ship."

"You're the navigator?"

"Of course! Apparently, I'm the only one who doesn't start an argument about constellations. I'll see you later, Tess." April jogged up the stairs, her blonde hair bouncing with every step.

"So… you're our new cabin girl, aren't ya?" Tyson asked, stepping up to Tesoro and shaking her hand. "Well, tis a pleasure to have you on board."

Tesoro blushed harder as she shook Tyson's hand. The mere touch of it caused her heart to skip at least a hundred beats. "Well… uh, thank you, T-Tyson." She said, hoping her palms weren't sweaty. Tyson let go and walked over to the stove. "So, I take it you're both cabin boys?"

Tyson and Jonesy looked at each other, and laughed. Tesoro blushed with embarrassment (I'll say at this point, if she doesn't stop now, she's going to look like a red chili-pepper for the rest of the story!). Tyson wiped a tear from his eye as Jonesy's squeaky laugh silenced, replaced by a small gasp for air.

"Nah, _I'm_ just the cabin boy," Jonesy said, then patted Tyson on the back. "Tyson here is our cook for the voyage… In other words, I wouldn't touch the food." He laughed again, and Tyson playfully nudged him in the ribs.

"Ah, shaddap." Tyson snapped, though a smile stayed on his face. "Keep it up and you'll be doing both yours and Tessy's half of the work!"

A whistle blew on deck, followed by Eric's voice: "All crew on deck!"

"Guess it's time to load up," Jonesy groaned. "I hate loading."

"Ah, tis just a bit of hard labor," Tyson joked. "It'll be nothing compared tah what I'll put ya through."

The two boys began walking up the steps, with Tesoro following behind them. Tyson and Jonesy went over to help hoist a crate on deck, while Tesoro helped a couple other sailors roll barrels into the storage deck. Now that she was away from Tyson's presence, it finally occurred to her…

He was the boy who had ran away 12 years ago.

* * *

A/N: And there you have it! Tesoro is off to find her dad, her mother is going to be a nervous wreck… and we may finally get some romance in this story!

Anon and OMGitsEMILY: Yep, Tesoro's gonna have a romantic interest of her own. (You're welcome!)

Kristen: Thank you for the compliment (Treasure Planet 2? Hmm, the idea seems to have a knack to it. ;D)

Glad you all are liking this story, but alas, it has just begun! Please R/R. My house is freezing, so I'll use flames to keep it warm.


	13. Chapter 13: Touch

Wow, you guys are really liking this story! Luckily, with all the plot bunnies and free time, I won't keep you waiting. It's….. THE THIRTEENTH CHAPTER! …Oh, crud, it's the unlucky chapter! Good thing I don't believe in luck!

(Anvil falls and lands on head)

Oy… (rubs bump on head) Uh, does anyone, by chance, have a lucky rabbits foot?

Disclaimer: I only own Tesoro, Tyson, Jonesy, Natalie, Gene, Louigi, and the rest of the OC. The original TP characters belong to Disney.

* * *

The morning went by quick as the sailors continued to load cargo onto the _SLR DESTINY_, with Eric shouting orders to the crew (no doubt he was Elizabeth's first mate). The entire crew, Jonesy and Tyson included, were able to handle everything with ease…

Tesoro, on the other hand, had a bit more trouble. The rest of the sailors- who were experienced with such work- made it look so easy, making her feel ashamed of her small strength. "Note to self: work out more," Tesoro grunted to herself as she tried to haul a barrel down the stairs to the storage deck. A Lizardian-alien walked by, carrying a whole stack of crates above his head with one hand. He looked at Tesoro and smiled as he passed. "Show off,"

Tesoro turned back to the stairway, missing a step and falling forward. Her face slammed against the barrel and her hands slipped off the bottom, but the barrel hadn't fallen to the floor. Tesoro leaned back and saw Jonesy standing in front of her, holding the barrel.

"Whoa, careful, Tess." the cabin boy said, grinning. "Need some help?"

Tesoro was about to reply, but Jonesy had voluntarily turned away and carried the barrel below deck for her already. "Hey, move it!" A gruff voice snarled behind her. She turned, seeing she was standing in the way of two sailors, who carried a crate. The one who addressed her was a female Manticore, with dark-blue skin, bright green eyes and long, black lashes. Her hair was yellow and covered with a black ski-cap. The other was the tall, muscular, gray alien she saw earlier that morning.

Tesoro moved out of their way, rushing down the stairs and stepping off to the side. "S-Sorry, about that." she said, meekly. The Spiderdid rolled her eyes and continued walking, followed by the gray alien, who just glared at her.

"Don't mind those lunkheads," Tyson said, stepping out from behind two crates that stood taller than him. He was wearing a gray triangular hat with a black trim. "Lucinda and Greygor always love tah give deh new guys a hard time."

"Greygor?"

"Actually, his name is Gregory." Jonesy clarified, brushing his hands against each other in a clap manner from lifting the barrel. "But we like to call him Greygor, since he's grey… like his attitude!"

"He has… a grey attitude?"

"'Dat's Jonesy-talk fer 'moody'." Tyson explained. "Jonesy explains everyone's emotions in colors, ain't dat right?"

"Sure is." Jonesy said proudly. "I came up with it myself. Every emotion needs a color- like how sadness is defined as 'blue', or fear is defined as 'yellow', or anger and embarrassment are both 'red'."

Tesoro couldn't help but recall the number of times she blushed this morning (which was a lot). _I must've been every shade of red, according to Jonesy. _she thought.

"Well, c'mon, guys." Tyson said. "We'd better get tah work in deh kitchen. There's a lot o' supplies tah organize."

"I'll say," Jonesy scoffed. "It's like someone doubled the order of spatatoes just to-"

Tyson stopped, holding his hand behind him in front of Jonesy and Tesoro. "Hold it," he walked over to a dimly lit corner, where a scuffling sound came from behind one of the barrels. He turned to Tesoro and Jonesy, his finger pressed to his lips, telling them to remain silent. He snuck over, ever so quietly.

Tesoro gasped when she saw a pair of laser-lights appear in the shadows, aimed at Tyson's head. They moved back and forth, each way his head turned. It didn't occur to her- until Tyson turned his head more to the side- that the lights were coming _right out of his eyes_.

She gaped and turned to Jonesy, who shook his head and raised his finger to his lips, sending her the message: "Don't say anything," She nodded and looked back at Tyson, who turned back to them. She stifled a gasp when she saw that both of his eyes were red.

"Must-a been another Lizardian rat." Tyson muttered. He looked up, noticing Tesoro was staring at him. He realized his eyes were still red… and he was shining their light on her and Jonesy. "Oh, these? Just a pair o' artificial eyes." He blinked a couple times, having his eyes return back to their original copper color. "Now, let's get to deh kitchen!"

"All hands to stations! Prepare for launch!" They heard Eric call from above deck.

"Let's say we take a break and watch the launch." Jonesy half-suggested, half-pleaded to Tyson.

Tyson shrugged earnestly. "Ah, what deh heck. It _is_ Tessy's first time on a ship. I guess we could spare work for such an occasion."

Tesoro was about to explain that it wasn't exactly her first time on a ship, but Jonesy's "WOO!" prevented her from doing so. With Jonesy running in the lead, they walked back above deck to observe the launch.

…Just in time for the gravity to give way, causing everyone to float in the air. Tesoro wasn't surprised. This has happened to her before… yet the feeling of being lightweight (well, _more_ lightweight in her case) was still extravagant! She looked off to her right, watching the sails light up with color as they absorbed solar energy. That's when she noticed that she- once again- was floating higher than everyone else.

Until Tyson grabbed her by the hand (this time she didn't blush). "Hang in there, Tessy," he chuckled, adding his weight to hers. The artificial gravity kicked in and they fell back on deck- Tyson landed first, catching Tesoro in his arms. "Heh, quite a thrill, ain't it?"

This time, Tesoro blushed. "Yeah… thank you." she said, hoping the boy wouldn't notice how- in Jonesy's case- 'red with embarrassment' she was. She stood up straight, then grabbed onto the railing, knowing what was coming next. Tyson stood next to her.

With a _whoosh_, the ship blasted off into the Etherium. A shrill, high-pitched cry- followed by a crash- sounded. Tyson and Tesoro turned around, only to see Jonesy upside-down, back up against the wall, tangled in rope with a bucket on his head.

"Oy, brother, Jonesy!" Tyson sighed in discouragement. "I t'ought you had it down this time!"

"Apparently, I wasn't prepared!" Jonesy sarcastically snapped, his voice echoing inside the bucket. "I was about to tie myself down-" Tyson yanked the bucket off his head, and his voice was normal. "-but didn't get the chance to even tie a single knot!"

"Why would you need to tie yourself down?" Tesoro asked. "All you have to do is stand firm and grab hold of something."

Jonesy shook his head. "It's not about standing still, but soaring. Don't you know how cool it is to just hold onto a rope and glide in the air, feeling the rush of the launch race through you for a brief moment?"

Tyson rolled his eyes. "It happened tah him on one o' our launches, once." he told Tesoro. "We blasted off, an' he flew back, grabbed a rope at deh last minute, an' hovered in deh air for a short second before crashing back on deh deck."

Jonesy huffed. "You're just jealous because it didn't happen to _you_,"

"Yeah, well- hey, where'd Tessy go?" Tyson looked around, noticing Tesoro was no longer with them.

"There she is, and- whoa!" Jonesy pointed to the starboard side, where he saw- not only Tesoro- but a school of space whales. "Awesome! Hey, Ty, you think-"

"I wouldn't plan on it, Jonesy," Tyson chuckled a bit. "Especially since we've just started a launch. Maybe we'll come across some more, later."

Jonesy sighed in disappointment. "I really want to pet one…"

"You'll get your chance." Tyson patted his friend on the back, then looked back over at Tesoro, who gazed at a small space whale with awe.

The small whale just happened to float next to her, smiling (at least, it _looked_ like it was smiling). Reaching over, Tesoro carefully stroked its rubbery blue skin. It squealed, and Tesoro didn't know whether it was delighted or startled. She got her answer when it rolled over on its back, belly-up- a sign that it wanted her to rub its tummy. Giggling, Tesoro granted its wish.

A low, melodious groan sounded from one of the other space whales, calling the youngling back. It squealed in reply, flipping back over and gliding back to its mother. _Darn, _Tesoro thought in disappointment, though she still smiled. _I was hoping it would give me a ride._

She turned around and walked back over to Tyson and Jonesy, who were grinning. "What?" she asked them, curiously.

"I take it you enjoyed playing with your pet?" Jonesy asked, his grin spreading.

Tesoro shrugged. "Couldn't help myself."

Tyson chuckled. "Well, let's hope it doesn't get attached to ya." he said. "Young space whales tend tah take a likin' to whoever rubs their bellies."

"Oh, I doubt that. …Besides, its mother wouldn't allow it."

"Whatever ya say… but if we see a giant, blue, squealing pound of blubber following deh ship, I'm holding you responsible." He let out another chuckle, and Jonesy and Tesoro joined in.

"Hey, guys!" Valerie called from the top masts. She leaped down, performing an aerial flip on the way, and landed on her feet in front of the threesome. "Don't you guys have work to do?"

"Yeah, yeah, we're getting to it."

"Watch it, Revlis. You may be hired as a cook and be in charge of _these _two," she pointed at Jonesy and Tesoro. "But _I _still have authority over you."

"Whatever, Doppler."

Valerie began walking away, passing Tesoro and mouthing the words "Watch him" (while pointing to Tyson) as she did.

"What did she call you?" Tesoro asked, trying to keep back a laugh.

" 'Revlis'. It's me last name. …By tah way, what's your last name? I don't believe I heard tah other- let alone _nice_- Doppler lass mention it."

"Hawkins." The moan of a space-whale flying over the ship drained out her voice, though Jonesy was able to catch it, and his eyes widened with concern.

"I didn't catch dat," Tyson said, innocently digging his finger in his ear, in hopes that he misunderstood Tesoro. "What was it?"

"Hoppins!" Jonesy said quickly, giving Tesoro that "Don't say a word" look again, only it was more urgent. "I believe she said 'Hoppins'. Isn't that right, Tess?"

Tesoro didn't understand why Jonesy pretended to mishear her name, but the panic in his eyes was enough to convince her to play along, especially with the suspicious look she got from Tyson, with his eyes glowing orange. "Er, right." She stared Tyson in the eyes, hoping he would buy it. She kept herself from sighing with relief when his eyes returned to copper.

"Well, dat's a relief!" Tyson said, heartedly. "For a moment there, I t'ought my hearing had gone bad! 'Can't afford artificial ears, y'know." He laughed at his joke, joined nervously by Jonesy and Tesoro.

"So, Jonesy? What's your last name?" As soon as she said it, she wished she hadn't. Jonesy stood there, silent with his head low.

"I… don't have one." The cabin boy said quietly.

"Well, look at deh time!" Tyson jumped in, ending the awkward moment by looking at his imaginary watch. "It's time tah mop up deh deck! Now, which one of ya lucky dogs wants tah do it?" Before either could say a word, Tyson threw the bucket (which used to be on Jonesy's head) into Tesoro's hands. "Thanks fer volunteering, Tessy. Jonesy, ya can help me in deh galley."

"Aye, aye, sir." Jonesy muttered, giving Tyson a fake salute.

Tesoro grabbed a mop and got to work, all the while wondering… why had Jonesy kept her from telling Tyson her real last name?

* * *

A/N: Hmm… That _is_ a good question. (And I know the answer, but I'm not telling! Nyah nyah! XD Don't worry. You'll find out in the next chapters. Maybe. ;D)

Please R/R. Already got flames in my fireplace, so I don't need any more


	14. Chapter 14: Secrets

Now that Chapter 13 is over with (rubs bump on head)… at last… we can get on with the story without more deadly objects falling from the sky. But, just in case… (pulls out an umbrella)

Disclaimer: Treasure Planet is owned by Disney (as if we all didn't know that already).

* * *

It was late afternoon, and Tesoro was still swabbing the deck, having trouble getting it clean enough. Every time she thought she was done, an occasional crewmate would walk by and say, "I thought you were gonna mop up," or "You missed a spot- the entire deck!".

Finally, she let out an angered grunt and threw the mop across the deck… right at Jonesy, hitting him in the back. "Oh, my gosh! I'm _so_ sorry, Jonesy!" She cried, rushing over and helping the cabin boy up.

"It's… okay, Tess." Jonesy grunted, standing up. "It's not the _first_ time someone hit me with a mop." He smiled at her, assuring her he was all right. "I take it you're having trouble mopping?"

Tesoro sighed. "Yeah…" She looked around the deck at the unclean floor. "I'm not too good at it."

Jonesy looked down at the floor, studying the wet patterns that remained on it. "Have you been going in circles?"

"If you mean walking around the whole deck, trying to get it clean, then yes."

"No, I mean moving the mop in a circular motion," Jonesy picked up the mop, moving it in said motion. "If you just go back and forth, you're not going to get much scum off. But going in circles, you'll get the shine you're looking for." He handed the mop to Tesoro. "Try it."

Tesoro stirred the mop in circles, as Jonesy showed her. To her enjoyment, it actually worked, and it made her job easier. She turned to thank Jonesy, but to her dismay, he had vanished. _Guess he had more work to do. _She thought, then continued mopping in circles.

* * *

Tyson knew Tesoro was a Hawkins. He could tell she was one from the moment he met her, though he wasn't so sure until she told him her last name. Oh, he had heard her correctly all right, but he wanted to make sure it was absolute.

_Blast it, Jonesy! _He thought bitterly, remembering how Jonesy had covered her name. Though, he couldn't blame his friend- he knew he'd had a grudge against any kind of Hawkins his whole life.

That's why he had run away from the ship when he was eight. So that Hawkins man stood up for him, restricting that felinid captain from putting him in foster care, but he still didn't trust him. He had many people say the same thing before that- but so many of them would end up sending him to an orphanage, or (on a _certain_ occasion) sell him to the black market. He knew he couldn't trust _anyone_… except Jonesy.

"Hey, Ty," Jonesy called as he walked down into the galley. "The captain wants to know what's for dinner."

"Whatevers I feel like fixin'." Tyson muttered.

Jonesy walked over to his friend, concerned. He never liked it when Tyson was in a bad mood, especially now, all of a sudden. "What's the matter, buddy? Something eating you? …Ha! Get it? Eating you- since you're the cook?" He laughed, hoping his friend would get the joke. He didn't.

"Nah, tis just… been a long day. What with deh launch, den all deh meals, den havin' tah check up on you and Tessy… let alone hearin' deh crew criticize her behind me back, sayin' I don't push 'er hard enough…" As he mentioned Tesoro, he began cutting pearapples more rapidly in a harsh manner.

Jonesy rushed over, grabbing Tyson's wrist before he cut his fingers. "Whoa, Tyson! Easy! Don't cut off your own hand! …I don't think that would go good with dinner."

Tyson chuckled, then sighed. "Sorry, Jonesy. I'm just… tense."

Jonesy frowned at his friend, eyeing him suspiciously. "It's because of Tesoro, isn't it?"

Tyson feigned a snicker. "What?"

"Don't try to fool me, Ty. I know that you know who Tesoro said she was."

Tyson put down the knife, glowering at the cabin boy. "Don't mark me, Jonesy."

"Tyson, you've got to let this go! You can't hold a grudge against some guy's whole family just because he-" Jonesy paused, seeing Lucinda- the blue Spiderdid- standing at the bottom of the steps, staring shockingly at the two of them.

"Um, ssssorry." Lucinda said. "I just came down to ssssee… (ahem) When'ssss dinner?"

"Uh, it'll be ready in half an hour, Lucy." Tyson replied.

"Yeah, well, hurry up! Jusssst becaussse you're a lousssy cook doesssn't mean you have to ssssstarve ussss all!"

Jonesy pretended to wipe spit (which had come from Lucinda's mouth) from his face. "Hey, say it, don't spray it, Spider-Woman." He said.

"Oh, sssssshut up, Jonessssy! I didn't ssssssspit that time!" She turned and climbed up the stairs.

"She ssssssspit on dat last part." Tyson said, mimicking Lucinda. Jonesy busted out laughing. "Okay, now why don't you help me out a little, eh? We've got a ship tah feed."

"Really? What do ship's eat?" Jonesy asked, jokingly. He and Tyson laughed, then he walked over to help prepare dinner, dropping the subject on Tesoro.

For now.

* * *

It was dusk by the time Tesoro had finished mopping the deck. She put away the mop and bucket and walked down to the "girl's quarters". She got out her duffel bag and took out a few of her possessions: her compass, a hairbrush, a pair of scrunchies (though, with her short hair, she wouldn't need them now), and her pocket knife.

She took off her hat and ran her hand through her choppy, short hair. She threw her cap on the ground, and it landed with an "Oof!"

Oof?

Tesoro picked up the hat, and with a hunch, tickled it. Soon, it dispersed into several tiny blobs, which all came together as the little Morph reformed. "Morph, you blobby little sneak!" Tesoro laughed. "Have you been hiding on my head this whole time?"

Morph turned into a miniature form of Tesoro's bed, a mini Tesoro, and two tiny hats on the bed. One hat knocked the other off, having the tiny Tesoro grab it instead.

"Aw, Morph, I told you to stay home and watch Mom," Morph chirped in apology, then rubbed up against her cheek. "Oh, fine, you can stay. I guess it's too late to send you back, anyway."

"Yay!" Morph exclaimed, turning into an array of fireworks.

Tesoro smiled at the little blob, then began putting away most of her possessions. She kept her pocket knife in (where else?) her pocket, and put her compass around her neck. She threw her duffel bag into the corner, then held up her finger, motioning Morph to sit upon it (which he did).

"C'mon, Morph, let's see how dinner's coming." Tesoro said as she walked up the stairs to the main deck.

"Dinner!" Morph squealed with delight, and Tesoro couldn't help but laugh.

* * *

The entire crew gathered in the galley for dinner, except the Doppler siblings, who preferred to eat in their private dining quarters.

…Besides Valerie. She enjoyed eating with others, especially the tough, rugged crowd. The kind of crowd she wanted to be in. She loved listening to the sailors' tales of their journeys, and joining their after-dinner competitions.

The competition tonight was arm-wrestling. Gregory (or Greygor, as Tyson and Jonesy called him) stepped up first. His muscles bulged, challenging anyone who dared to take him on.

_Too easy. _Valerie thought, sitting across the table from Gregory. They locked hands, waiting for the referee- Lucinda- to give them the signal to start. She waved her claw down, and the challenge was one, and the rest of the crew shouted with excitement as the two competitors' arms tensed, trying to force the other down.

"You… can't beat… me!" Gregory grunted, forcing all his weight into his arm, trying to bring Valerie's down. Surprisingly, she was stronger than she looked.

"That's… what you think!" Valerie exclaimed, pushing Gregory's arm down. He struggled to keep his arm up, but his surprise of the female's excellent strength kept psyching him out.

_Don't lose your focus! _Gregory told himself. _She's… just a small… insignificant-_

"_HAH_!" Valerie yelled, slamming Gregory's arm down onto the table. The crowd became silent, awed at Valerie's win, then cheered her on. Gregory stood up, stunned and embarrassed from losing to a felinid.

"That competition was too sssshort." Lucinda hissed. "Who votessss we have another round?" The crew shouted with agreement. "Alright then! Who challengessss Valerie?"

The shouting stopped. Everyone was too nervous to take on Valerie, especially when she took on the strongest man on the ship. They all gasped when a voice spoke out, "I'll take 'er on." Everyone turned and saw Tyson, standing in the corner.

"Ssssstep up then, Tyssssson." Lucinda scoffed, but with a smile. "It'll be fun to ssssee you get your arm pulled off."

Tyson sat down across from Valerie, putting his elbow- hand up- on the table. Valerie gripped his hand. "You're going down." She said, grinning.

"Don't count on it." Tyson replied, his grin smug.

Lucinda waved her claw and the challenge was on. To Valerie's surprise, Tyson seemed to keep his arm steady, resting his chin in his other hand and smiling at her, as if they weren't arm-wrestling at all.

"Valerie! Valerie!" Half the crowd chanted.

"Tyson! Tyson!" The other half chanted.

"Take her down, Ty!" Jonesy exclaimed from the front of the crowd. Tesoro stood next to him watching the fight, with Morph on her shoulder, chirping with delight.

Valerie forced every ounce of her strength into her arm, struggling to pin Tyson's, but the young male hybrid's hand stayed up, and his smug expression remained on his face (which was _really_ starting to annoy Valerie).

"You're… not… so… tough!" Valerie taunted.

"Oh? Den why is me arm still up?" Tyson asked, teasingly.

"I… took down… the strongest member… on board! Why… would you… have the (grr!) nerve… to take… me… on?"

Tyson chuckled. "Did it ever come across ya mind dat I probably just wanted tah hold yer hand?"

_That accent…_ Valerie thought, then snapped back into focus. _He's just trying to psych you out, Valerie! …And yet… _"Why don't you… give it up now… and save your strength?"

"You're deh one wastin' yer energy, kitten."

Valerie suddenly lost all focus, staring at the boy in both anger and disbelief. "You-"

It was the opportunity Tyson was waiting for. Without warning, he slammed Valerie's arm on the table, causing her to cry out in slight pain and shock. He stood up and shot his fists in the air as the crew cheered him on: "Tyson! Tyson!" They parted a path for him as he left the galley, followed by Jonesy, Tesoro and Morph.

Valerie stood up from the table, staring in disbelief at Tyson as he walked away. He turned around once he reached the stairs and winked at her, then walked up the steps with Jonesy and Tesoro. "How in the world…?" Valerie asked aloud.

"Now you know how _I_ feel," Gregory sneered from beside her. She looked up at him, arched an eyebrow, then turned and left.

"It's time to get some answers."

* * *

Tesoro and Jonesy patted Tyson on the back, and Morph turned into a hand and high-fived him, which took him a bit by surprise. "Whoa, what is t'is thing?" he asked, smiling at the blob.

"What is this thing?" Morph repeated, shifting into a miniature image of Tyson.

"It's a Morph. He followed me on board." Tesoro explained the story of how Morph hid as her hat and snuck on board.

"He's pretty cool." Jonesy said as Morph turned into a mini version of him, making him laugh. "Where'd you get him?"

Tesoro's smile faded, and she turned away, looking over the edge of the ship into the Etherium. "He belonged to my dad. He would always leave him with me when he took off."

"You're blue,"

"Huh?" Tesoro cocked an eyebrow, then remembered how Jonesy would describe emotions as colors. "Oh, yeah. …I guess I am."

"How come?"

She sighed. "You know that ship we're searching for?" The two boys nodded. "Well… my dad was the captain of the ship. I joined the voyage to search for him,"

"Oh…" Jonesy cringed, looking at Tyson, who only gave a solemn shrug.

Morph whimpered, rubbing against Tesoro's neck. "Jim," he chirped, missing his master.

"Sorry tah here dat, lass…" Tyson said.

Morph turned to Tyson, his eyes wide (but not too wide). "Silver?" he chirped with disbelief.

"Huh?" Before Tyson could say anything else, Morph flew over and started licking his face. He then whirled around his head, squealing with delight. Finally, he stopped and nuzzled against his neck like crazy.

"Silver! Silver! Silver!"

"Why is he calling you Silver?" Jonesy asked with a laugh. "I've never heard of _that _emotion before."

Tyson stared at Morph, stunned. "I… don't know."

"He used to belong to a man named Silver," Tesoro said, still staring out into space. "My dad met him on one of his journey's, and he gave Morph to him before they parted ways." She turned to Tyson. "I guess you sound like him or something."

Tyson's eyes were wide. "You're dad… knew a man named Silver?"

"Yes. They were good friends. Silver had saved my dad's life- twice, I believe- and…" She wanted to say more, but just thinking about her father's voyage to Treasure Planet somehow increased her worry, recalling the danger he had encountered… and, from hearing about Xenta, she wondered if he was okay now, let alone alive. "…They were just good friends."

Tyson felt his heart race. Jonesy looked over at him, trying to keep from grinning. "I… t'ink I'll turn in fer tonight." He started walking away, Jonesy following him, and Morph floated off his shoulder, waving him good-bye happily.

"I guess I'll turn in too," Tesoro stretched and yawned. "C'mon, Morph. Let's get some sleep."

"Aye, aye," Morph chirped, saluting Tesoro, and he followed her back into her quarters.

* * *

"I told you so," Jonesy whispered to Tyson once they were in the "men's quarters". Tyson took the bottom hammock, and Jonesy took the top.

"Ah, shaddap." Tyson sneered. "I still have me doubts."

Jonesy sighed. "I wish I could say that I don't blame you, if you tell me what he'd done to deserve you're cruel judgment."

Tyson looked up from his hammock at Jonesy. "How many times do I have tah tell ya? I don't want tah talk about it." He then turned over onto his side, angrily pulling his covers over him.

Jonesy rolled onto his back and sighed. "Okay, but when you're ready to talk, I'm here. …Tyson?"

"What?"

"Be nice to Tesoro, okay?"

"What makes ya t'ink I wouldn't?"

"Just checking. 'Night." Jonesy closed his eyes, quickly falling to sleep.

Tyson, on the other hand, lied in bed, wide awake. _Dang it, Jonesy! Why do you always have to bring up these sort of things at night? _He thought, knowing he wouldn't be falling asleep for a while. He threw off his blankets and walked upstairs onto the main deck.

The nightly sky was full of stars as the _SLR DESTINY _hovered through the Etherium, and Tyson was standing along the edge, staring out at all of them. _Maybe he's right. _Tyson thought. _Maybe I shouldn't release me grudge on dat Hawkins man's entire family just because of his deed. After all, that Jim Hawkins fella doesn't seem bad, especially since he's friends with-_

"All right, you. I want some answers!" A female voice demanded from behind Tyson- and he recognized it too well. Sighing in annoyance, he turned around to face Valerie.

"What would ya like tah know?" Tyson asked. He gasped when Valerie grabbed him by the shirt collar and hoisted him up to eye level.

"Everything."

* * *

A/N: Okay, so there's _still_ a lot of questions. I tried to answer some of them in this chapter, but then it got… complicated. But, fear not dear readers, there WILL be answers! (Later).

You know the drill: R/R, don't flame.


	15. Chapter 15: Explanations

So, it's close to midnight, I'm wide-awake with nothing to do, so I thought, 'What the heck?' and then this chapter was born.

Disclaimer: For the ump-teenth time! I don't own Treasure Planet, so you can forget about trying to sue me!

* * *

Tyson stared at Valerie, aware that she recognized him, but he decided to play innocent. "What are ya talkin' about?" He snapped, squirming in her grasp.

"You know what!" Valerie growled, stared into Tyson's eyes (which were glowing orange). "I know who you are, you ugly, little smart-mouth! So you might as well come clean!"

"Fine. Get me some soap, an' I'll come clean."

"I wouldn't crack jokes right now if _I _were you, Revlis. How come you ran off eight years ago?"

Tyson's eyes turned red, and he looked away.

"Ah, the old silent treatment, eh?" Valerie shook Tyson. "Tell me!"

"_Would all of ya get off me blasted case already_?" Tyson gripped Valerie's wrists, loosening her grip, then pushed her away, storming off down the deck.

Valerie, of course, followed. "I know all about it, Revlis. The black market, the raid in the galley- which I was _still_ blamed for- and your _brother_." That got Tyson to stop. He turned and stared at Valerie, his eyes dimming back to orange. "…You're still looking for him, aren't you?"

Tyson turned away, hunching his shoulders. "Don't. Bring up. Me brother." he said through clenched teeth. "Ya don't know what I've been through."

"I would if you just told me!"

"Forget it."

"Fine!" Valerie stormed off, leaving Tyson alone on deck.

* * *

Tesoro could hear the yelling from her quarters, and judging from how Lucinda had a pillow pulled over her head, she possibly did too. The cabin girl climbed out of her hammock and walked out of her room, and up the stairs. She heard chattering, turning around to see a sleepy-eyed Morph hovering behind her. She gently grabbed him and carried him with, knowing he'd just follow her anyway. She was at the top of the stairs when she heard Valerie and Tyson…

"_Forget it." _Tyson had said.

"_Fine!" _Valerie had snapped before storming off back to her quarters.

Tesoro stared at Tyson, who now sat in the shrouds, overlooking the Etherium… the same position she had seen him in long ago.

_Do you ever feel like breaking down?_

She walked over to him, forgetting she was holding Morph, and stood at the edge of the boat, looking up at him. "You okay?" she asked him, only half-expecting him to answer.

Which he didn't. She sighed, knowing he was in his silent mood, like he would always be when she first met him. He seemed so lively this morning, but now he seemed… not there.

_Do you ever feel out of place?_

"Whatever Valerie said to you, just ignore it." Tesoro said, not really expecting an answer from Tyson. "She's just a loud-mouthed, overreacting-"

"Shut it." Tyson said, his voice cold as ice. "I want tah be alone."

Tesoro's hands fell limp with shock, releasing Morph, who hovered in the air for a moment before following her around the corner, where she sat down. He chattered with concern. "It's okay, Morph. He's just… having a hard time, I guess." She wrapped her arms around herself and pulled her knees close to her chest… like she would always do when she was depressed.

_Like somehow you just don't belong…_

"Uh, oh." Morph squeaked quietly, flying over to Tyson to get his support. He figured, if Tyson sounded like Silver, maybe he could also talk like him and help Tesoro feel better, like how the cyborg had done for Jim.

Tyson sat in the shrouds, staring into the Etherium. All his life, people had been promising him help, but it all just ended up in disappointment. He didn't want anyone's help… because he didn't want anymore disappointment.

…_and no one understands you._

Morph floated up to his face, chattering frantically, but he just stared past the blob and out into the stars, wondering where…

"Tess!" Morph chirped, then transformed into a mini Tesoro, arms wrapped around herself and sulking. This caught Tyson's attention.

"Tessy?" he asked Morph, who nodded. "Ah, great. First a nosey cat an' now I have a young girl sulkin' over me!" He turned away from Morph, who tugged the collar of his shirt. "Well, what do ya want me tah do about it?" Morph turned into a mini Tyson, walking over to a mini Tesoro and kneeling beside her, talking (well, chattering, actually). "No. Way. I didn't do anyt'ing tah make her sore at me. She wants tah be in a mood, let her. It ain't me business." Tyson crossed his arms.

Morph was becoming irritated, then turned into a hand and grabbed Tyson's shirt collar, yanking him from the shrouds and onto the deck with a _slam! _then began chattering angrily at the lad.

"Aw, blast it, ya little blob!" Tyson's eyes glowed red. "Why don't ya-" Morph, still as a hand, covered Tyson's mouth.

"Shush!" Morph chirped. Tyson mumbled a few choice words, but became silent when he heard sobbing, coming from around the corner. Morph floated away from his mouth and pointed to the direction the sobbing was coming from. "Go."

Tyson sighed. "You're more annoying than deh cat." He stood up and began walking toward the sobbing, looking back once at Morph, who urged him on.

_Do you ever feel like running away?_

Tesoro had her face buried in her knees, feeling embarrassed that she was crying just because someone had snapped at her. But it wasn't just someone- it was the young boy they had tried to help… who didn't want anyone to help him at all. _Stop crying. _she told herself. _So Tyson's just being a jerk, that's no reason to cry… _She wiped the tears from her eyes, took a deep breath, and exhaled as she looked up at the stars…

…And Tyson, standing before her. "Tyson." she gasped, then pulled herself together. "What… What do you want?"

"To… apologize." Tyson said, straining the words out, which Tesoro caught, and she turned away from him. He sighed and sat down next to her. "I don't blame ya for hating me. I'd hate me-self too if I'd had tah put up with me."

This time, Tesoro was giving him the silent treatment.

_Do you lock yourself in your room?_

"I'm sorry for me attitude. It's just… I've been let down so many times me whole life, and I can't stand it anymore." Tyson sighed. "When you've lost something… some_one_… that ya care about, and deh one who caused it all is still out there, ya tend tah lose trust in ot'ers."

_With the radio turned up so loud, that no one hears you screaming?_

Tesoro looked at him. "Care to clarify?" she asked.

Tyson shook his head. "I… don't like talkin' 'bout it. Tis too painful a memory."

"I understand." Tesoro looked up at the sky, then took out her compass. Like always, it was pointing in the wrong direction. The ship was hovering South-West, but the compass was pointing… right at Tyson.

Tyson observed the compass. "What's dat ya got there, Tessy?"

"It's a compass my dad gave to me when I was younger." She grasped the gizmo tightly. "It's the only thing I have left of him."

Tyson nodded, solemnly. "I can understand dat. Me father left me somet'ing too before he left."

"What was it?"

Tyson looked at her, and tapped his eyes, not even blinking. "Me eyes." Tesoro stared at him, gaping. "I was born with no eyes, and me mother was devastated, even talked about givin' me away, but me dad wouldn't 'ere it. He took me tah a doctor he knew well, sayin' I'd get deh sight I deserve. Of course, I didn't get 'em 'til I was two, since me parents were in a bit o' debt, and I was too young. …But one surgery later, I could see. The doc even made it so me eyes looked normal."

"Wow."

"Yeah. Wow to you, but not to me. …After I got me eyes, dat's when every'ing went wrong. Me mum grew sick after she became pregnant, then died after she gave birth tah me brother, and me dad had tah work hard, stop going on voyages, throw his good times away, just tah get us by."

"Oh, my gosh…"

_No, you don't know what it's like…_

"Dat's not deh worst of it, though. When I turned seven, a group o' men came by, sayin' me dad was 'overdue'. He told me tah take me brother outside while he discussed deh matter. …Next t'ing I know, deh house is on fire, me brother and I got separated, and everyt'ing I loved was gone."

…_When nothing feels all right…_

"I'm… sorry." Tesoro looked away from Tyson, too stunned to say anymore. _So that's why he never told anyone anything._ she concluded.

"But to sum it all up… I don't even remember me brother's name."

"Huh?"

_You don't know what it's like, to be like me…_

Tyson sighed. "When you've been surrounded by others, kidnapped on most bases, ya tend tah forget important t'ings… an' it doesn't help when people on deh black market beat ya."

Tesoro gasped. "They… _abused_ you?"

"Don't act so surprised, lass. Every black market is rotten. You'd get used tah it… though, I must admit, if Jonesy hadn't come along, I'd be beaten like a rug."

_To be hurt…_

"Jonesy saved you?"

Tyson looked at her. "Can ya guess his age?"

"What?"

"Try to guess Jonesy's age."

"Um, I don't know… Twenty-one?"

Tyson grinned, to Tesoro's relief, then laughed. "Dat's what t'ey thought on deh market. Nah, he's only…" he counted off his fingers. "I'd say, sixteen."

Tesoro's jaw hit the floor. "Sixteen? Are you serious? He's tall enough to be an adult!"

"Yep. He's been dat tall ever since I met him… thankfully, he hadn't grown more, otherwise we'd have tah put in larger doorways! Ha ha! …Anyway, he came around, carryin' a sack that sounded as if it were full o' coins. He said tah the men, 'I'll give ya 3 pounds for dat short one', all the while pointing at me… which I found a bit offensive. Anyways, I got off easy dat day, while deh men got duped!"

"Duped?"

"Jonesy had filled deh sack with smashed bottle caps, spray-painted 'em gold, an' fooled deh guys…" Tyson sighed. "…All for me. Ever since t'en, he'd became me friend, an' deh only one I trust."

"He really seems like a trustworthy guy."

"Only as long as ya don't let him navigate. He's a bit bad with directions."

_To feel lost…_

Tesoro laughed, which put a smile on Tyson's face. He patted her on the back. "Good tah hear ya laughin' rather t'an cryin', Tessy."

"Good tah see ya smilin' rather t'an glaring into space." Tesoro mimicked him, grinning.

"Heh. You know, if I didn't know better, I'd say Morph had been givin' ya mimicking lessons."

Tesoro looked around. "Say, where _is_ Morph?" She stood up with a discouraged grunt. "Some days, that little blob really pushes me too hard with his shenanigans."

Tyson rubbed his side, which still ached from his fall. "I'd agree with dat."

"I'd better go look for him…" Tesoro turned to leave, then looked back at Tyson. "Hey, Tyson? Can I ask you something?"

"What more do ya want tah know?"

"How come, when everyone asked you about your family, you never answered them… but you told me?"

Tyson stood up and rested a hand on her shoulder. "Because I trust ya, Hawkins. I don't know why, but I do. …I guess it's somet'ing in yer eyes dat tell me so." He smiled.

Tesoro smiled back, feeling her face blush (for the hundredth time!). Those were the same words her father said to her mother on their first voyage. Then her smile faded, as she began to wonder where her dad was.

"What's deh matter, Tessy?"

"My dad… said the same thing to my mom a long time ago." her voice was quiet, but she felt as if she yelled through a loudspeaker. "…I'd better go find Morph." She turned out of Tyson's grasp and ran off, around the corner.

_To be left out in the dark…_

"Have a pleassssssant converssssation, ssssshorty?" The arachnid's voice teased. Tyson sneered up at Lucinda, who climbed down from one of the masts. "Getting a bit sssssmooth with the girlssss, aren't you?"

"Ah, shaddap, Lucy." Tyson snapped. "She's just a friend… That I've just now made today."

"Making friendsssss on the firssst day, huh? I'm eager to ssssee what you'll be tomorrow." With a teasing wink, she walked off.

_To be kicked when you're down…_

Tyson felt his eyes go red. "Stupid spider." he muttered.

"Stupid spider." A voice chirped. Tyson looked up, only to see Morph.

"Morph, ya blob of mischief! Have ya been hoverin' over our heads deh whole time?"

Morph chirped, nodding. He floated closer to Tyson and winked, turning into a hand and pointing at him, then turning into a heart, then turning into mini Tesoro.

"Oh, now don't _you_ start on dat. Now, c'mon, she's lookin' for ya." Tyson grabbed Morph and walked back down to the men's quarters.

...Not knowing that Jonesy stood around the corner, overhearing everything. "Glad you finally told someone, Ty." he whispered. He pressed himself against the wall when Tesoro walked by, and he couldn't help but smile at her- the way her hair shined from the glow of the space clouds, the beautiful motion displayed as she walked…

_Cut it out, Jonesy! _he scolded himself. _For crying out loud, you just met her! _But, for some unknown explanation, he ignored the thoughts, mesmerized by only Tesoro…

"…_I'm eager to ssssee what you'll be tomorrow,"_ He had overheard Lucinda say. He had peeked around the corner, seeing the arachnid scurry off, leaving Tyson looking annoyed.

_To feel like you've been pushed around._

Then Morph had come down, chirping. He turned into a hand and pointed at Tyson, then a heart, then Tesoro. Jonesy understood the message clearly. "Guess you and I have something special in common, Ty." he said quietly, slipping away back to his quarters.

_To be on the edge of breaking down, with no one there to save you!_

* * *

Tyson didn't see Tesoro anywhere, and sighed. It was late, he was tired, and he didn't want to stay up all night looking for her. "Guess yer bunkin' with me tonight, Morphy."

"YAY!" Morph squealed, flying around Tyson's head.

Tyson caught the blob, cuffing him in his hands. "Shush! Don't wake deh whole ship!" Morph chattered in apology. "Now, c'mon. Let's hit deh sack."

He arrived in the quarters fifteen minutes after Jonesy did, then lied down in his bunk. That's when he began to feel unsure of himself… about Tesoro, even.

_No, you don't know what it's like…_

* * *

Tesoro gave up looking for Morph. _He'll show up somewhere tomorrow. _she assured herself, hoping he wasn't getting into trouble. She walked back down to her quarters, where she saw that Lucinda's hammock was empty.

"Where did _she_ run off to?" Tesoro wondered, then shrugged, too tired to think about it. …Yet she became wide awake when she thought about Tyson calling her by her real last name.

_Welcome to my life_

* * *

A/N: And there's that Simple Plan song again! I hope this cleared up a little info for you guys. ;D

Please R/R. Flames are for hot-rods.


	16. Chapter 16: The Dreams Strike Again!

Chapter 16: Sorry I'm late! There was a writer's block in traffic, and-

Me: Oh, just hurry up and get over here! We've got readers waiting!

Disclaimer: Sadly, Treasure Planet hasn't been signed over to me, so I don't own it.

0o0o0o0o0o0

It had been over two months since the SLR DESTINY set sail, and with every day that passed by, Tesoro was starting to grow more impatient (or as Jonesy had described, burgundy) in finding her father.

Tesoro got up early the next morning. The snoring coming from Lucinda- who must have gotten back to bed later that night- awoke her. But she didn't see it as a downside… yet. She decided to take advantage of her disturbed sleep and watch the morning rise.

Stepping onto the main deck, she saw Tyson standing by the edge of the ship and (what else?) gazing out at the Etherium. "Mornin', lass." he said when he saw her.

"Morning. You're up early." Tesoro replied. "Did one of your cabin mates' snoring wake you up, too?"

"Nah. I've always been wakin' up at deh crack o' dawn. I get more t'ings done t'is way… and I get tah see deh early show of deh morning."

"I can't argue with that." Tesoro stood next to him. "It's a beautiful sight. …reminds me of the good times I used to have with my parents… before they started dumping me off at my grandma's."

"It keeps me calm an' gives me time tah clear me thoughts. …What were deh good times you had like?"

Tesoro shrugged. "Not much. Mom would tell me stories, Dad would teach me about sailing- he helped me learn to build a solar surfer, but we never finished it. I tried to do it myself, but it didn't work well. …What about you?"

"What about me?"

"What was your family like?" Tesoro wished she never brought up the subject, seeing Tyson's eyes glow orange (or, was the early light just reflecting off them?).

"Me family was deh best." Tyson smiled (which calmed Tesoro a bit). "Me mum used tah bake excellent cakes- she owned her own bakery- and me dad… well, he used tah sail around a lot, from what me mother told me, though she didn't talk about it, much. Don't ask me why, 'cause I don'ts even know. She an' me dad were a bit old when I came along, possibly in their 50's, but they were as strong as steel …at least, me dad was." Tyson sighed. "They both loved me an' me brother more t'an anything. I could tell, just before she died, that me mum was happy she brought us both into t'is world, by the way she smiled. I'll never ferget dat smile."

"They sound like wonderful people."

"They were. …I bet me pap an' your pap would'a been best friends."

Tesoro smiled. "Knowing my dad, I wouldn't be surprised."

A group of sailors began climbing on deck, among them were Jonesy and Morph, who sat on his shoulder. Seeing Tesoro and Tyson, the little blob squealed with delight and flew up to them, nuzzling against both of their cheeks.

"Morph, there you are!" Tesoro tried to scorn, but her smile kept her from doing so. "Where'd you run off to, last night?"

"I found him messin' around on deh deck." Tyson said, patting Morph. "I tried tah find ya, but ya weren't around, so I's decided tah let deh little pest bunk with me."

"Yeah, you brought him down, but he snuggled by me." Jonesy scoffed with a grin. "Apparently, he likes me more than you."

"Ha! What would make ya say dat?"

"I don't know. Maybe he thinks I'm more 'silver' than you."

"Have you figured out what that color means, yet?" Tesoro asked, not noticing that Tyson gave Jonesy a secret glare.

"I think, judging from Tyson's character, it would mean 'boisterous and demanding'." Jonesy let out a snicker, and Tesoro giggled.

"Don't ferget carin', Jonesy." Tyson scoffed with a smile, though his eyes were orange. "Now, c'mon, you two's. We've got breakfast tah make. …And there'll be plenty o' work afterwards."

The way Tyson smiled at that last sentence, Tesoro and Jonesy were a bit worried on what he had in stored for them.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Valerie had slept in that morning. She didn't plan to, but her dream kept her from waking…

_She stood on the deck of an almost familiar ship, men racing all around her in a frantic rush. "Hey, what's going on?" she asked._

"_Captain! We're stuck in the planet's pull!" A sailor called from somewhere. "What do we do?"_

"_Secure the sails!" The voice of Jim cried from the helm. Valerie looked up and saw him, holding onto his lifeline for dear… well, life. "Louigi, make sure the lifeline's are secure!"_

"_Aye, Captain!" Louigi called, rushing to the mast where the lifelines were attached and began yanking them tight._

"_Jim, I hate to sound critical, but… why are we securing the sails?" Valerie heard Gene ask in a shout._

"_If we kept them down, that would increase our speed in the pull, and cause more damage. If we keep it steady, we should be fine."_

_Gene sighed. "I hope you're right on this, Jim."_

"_BEN, go down and decrease the thrusters' capacity to 35%."_

"_Aye, aye, Captain Jimmy Sir!" BEN cried enthusiastically, rushing below deck. It amazed Valerie that, even in this dangerous situation, the robot could still sound optimistic._

"_Life lines secured, Jim!" Louigi called._

"_Great!" Jim called to him… though there seemed to be worry in his eyes. "Be sure to double check!"_

"_What, you don't trust me?"_

"_No, I don't trust the lifelines."_

_Louigi nodded in understanding and went back to the mast to double check. Valerie couldn't help but wonder why Jim seemed so cautious about the lifelines while the entire ship was being sucked into its doom._

"_Thrusters' capacity decreased, Jimmy!" BEN called, rushing back on deck. _

"_Incoming!" A sailor cried from up in the crow's nest. Valerie looked over the edge, seeing a purple planet with a gray mist around it, coming in closer._

_Xenta._

"_Everybody, hold on tight!" Jim cried._

"_You heard him, men!" Gene called in his most demanding voice. "Hold on!" he then wrapped all four of his arms around Louigi._

"_What in the Etherium are you doing?" Louigi grunted as Gene squeezed him._

"_Holding on to my best buddy, and I'm not letting go!"_

"_Oh, for Heaven's sake-"_

_Valerie- along with the rest of the crew- flew back as the suction of Xenta increased, pulling the ship in with a rapid pace._

"_I'm coming, Silver…" She heard Jim whisper as the CSS MAELSTROM crashed through a patch of trees and everything went black._

"Whoa!" Valerie exclaimed when the dream ended. She looked around, noticing she was still on the _SLR DESTINY _and not being vacuumed to her death. "What a dream. … It was so real…" She climbed out of bed, pulled on her boots and bandana, and walked out on deck, where she saw that the crew was already up and about.

And she missed breakfast.

0o0o0o0o0o0

If there was one thing Tesoro couldn't stand, it was scraping barnacles off the side of the ship. She had to use every bit of strength she had just to get one off, and by then she already felt exhausted. "I could have taken more gym classes at school, but noooo! I had to take art!" she muttered.

Jonesy was sitting on the plank with her, also stuck with the job. "You took art class, huh?" he grunted as he pried off a couple barnacles. "I used to, too."

"You were in school?"

"For about 7 years, before I dropped out."

Tesoro almost dropped her scraper. "What? Why?"

Jonesy sighed. "I took off to find my family. I went to school at an orphanage when I was little, then I ran away to take up sailing."

"Is that when you met Tyson?" Tesoro knew that wasn't true, but she was eager to learn more about the two boys.

"Nah, I found him on the black market. When I was 12, I looked 21 due to my height. I stopped at a, uh, _hostile_ planet, and saw that a man was beating him. So, using my appearance as an advantage, I 'bought' him from the men, and we've been together ever since."

"Ah. So-"

"Hey! I ain't payin' ya to chit-chat!" Tyson called from over the edge of the ship, gazing down at the two teens.

"You're not paying us at all!" Jonesy shot back.

"Just get back tah work!"

"Better do what he says," Tesoro said with a chuckle, then tried her luck at the barnacles again, struggling to get one off.

"You're not very strong, are you?" Jonesy asked.

She rolled her eyes. "Gee, Jonesy, did you figure that out by yourself?"

Jonesy ignored her sarcasm. "Just asking. …You know, the trick is to use your elbows than your wrists, like this." He pried off 3 barnacles at the same time.

_Show off. _Tesoro thought, copying him. The barnacle snapped off, hitting her right eye. "Ow!" She grabbed her eye, wincing.

Jonesy dropped his scraper, scooting closer to her. "Aw, geez! You okay?"

"I'm fine." Tesoro's voice was harsh, but Jonesy shook it off.

"Here, let me see." Jonesy pulled her hand gently away from her eye, and let out hiss of concern at the black mark that had formed. "Ooh, you'd better get that treated."

"It's okay, really." Which was a lie, since Tesoro's vision was blurred in her right eye.

"No, it's not. Barnacles' shells are pretty rough- hard as steel actually- and can cause pretty bad damage if they hit you in the face, let alone the eye. …Look, it's already starting to swell."

Tesoro sighed, irritably. "Fine, I'll go take care of it. …And Jonesy?"

"Yeah?"

"You can let go of my hand now."

Jonesy looked down, seeing that he was still holding on to Tesoro's hand. He let go, turning red, making Tesoro giggle (hey, it's the first time someone blushed except her). They pulled the ropes, elevating their plank back to the edge of the ship.

"Go have Eric help you." Jonesy said. "He's good at medical stuff."

"I wouldn't be surprised." Tesoro said, namely to herself, knowing that Eric took mostly after his dad. She turned back to Jonesy. "Don't think I'll leave all the work to you. Tyson would kill me!"

"Ah, go on. I'll take care of it."

Tesoro smiled at him and walked away. _Gosh, she has a beautiful smile. _Jonesy sighed dreamily, then lowered himself back down to finish the work.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Tesoro stood outside Elizabeth and Eric's quarters about to knock, until she heard their conversation (eavesdropping, once again).

"…We've _got_ to send her back." Eric said to Elizabeth. "If Natalie has found out, she'll contact our parents, and they'll know we've set out on a voyage without their consent!"

"Don't be childish, bro," Tesoro heard Valerie say from across the room, lounging in her sister's chair once again. "We're adults now, we've got permits, so we should have nothing to worry about. So, Mom and Dad will be a little ticked that we're joining the search, but it's not like we're doing any damage."

"Are you crazy? When they find out that we've put ourselves into a dangerous situation-"

"They won't find out." Elizabeth said sternly, pushing Valerie out of her chair. "As long as everything runs smoothly, we'll be fine. Mom and Dad will still think we're doing a practice run at the Academy, we'll find the _MAELSTROM_, and Tesoro will be okay."

"I wouldn't be so sure on Tesoro's safety, especially since we're heading to Xenta."

"You misjudge her, Eric." Valerie sneered. "Tesoro's a tough girl, and she knows more about sailing than the rest of us!" she glowered at Elizabeth. "…I still can't believe you set her up as a cabin boy- er, I mean, cabin _girl_."

"She may have learned about sailing, Valerie, but that doesn't mean she has the strength or agility to be cut out for it. She'd probably be overboard by now if we set her up as a sailor. It's best if we kept her as a cabin-girl, and nothing higher, for the sake of her safety."

Tesoro turned away from the door, rushing down the stairs back to the main deck, holding in tears. With half a blurred vision, it was difficult for her to get around the rest of the crew without bumping into someone, making them curse at her, but their words were muffled to her.

She went to the cargo hold, hid behind a stack of crates, wrapped her arms around her knees and weeped (muffling the sound by pressing her face into her arms).

She forgot about the pain in her eye, since it was nothing now.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Jonesy had pried off the last barnacle and elevated himself back on deck, heading to the galley. Tyson was mixing a few spices into his stew when he came down. "Hey, Jonesy," Tyson said, looking over his shoulder at his friend… noticing Tesoro wasn't with him. "What happened tah Tessy?"

"She got hit in the eye with a barnacle, so I sent her to see Eric- no pun intended." Jonesy replied, though he and Tyson still chuckled a bit at the pun.

"Eh, I feel sorry for 'er."

"I'll say. Remember when you got hit in the eye with a barnacle?" Jonesy began to snicker. "But instead of bouncing right off-" his snicker turned into an all-out laugh. "_It stuck on your eye_!" he fell to the floor, laughing.

Tyson rolled his eyes. "Not funny Jonesy. Deh t'ing almost caused me left eye tah malfunction."

"S-sorry." Jonesy gasped for breath, wiping away a tear. "It's just funny because (hee hee) it looked like you were wearing an eye patch!"

"Whatever." Tyson returned to his stew. "Well, I hope Eric finishes up with Tesoro soon. She still has a bit o' work tah do."

Jonesy stopped laughing. "She's not done yet?"

"You should know. Ya just sent her tah see him. …Didn't you?"

"Yeah, like… about an hour ago."

Tyson stopped stirring his stew suddenly. (say _that_ 5 times fast) He turned to Jonesy with concern. "What?"

Looking at each other with worry, the two boys rushed up the stairs. "Oh, my gosh!" Jonesy gasped. "I-I hope nothing serious happened!"

"If she's pulling somet'in like t'is just tah skip work-" Tyson muttered, but his voice was filled with concern. "Oy, she'd better be alright."

They zipped pass Lucinda and Gregory. "Hey, watch where you going, you idiotsssss!" Lucinda called to them as they passed by, but they kept running. "What'ssss their problem?"

"Let's go check," Gregory said, smirking.

0o0o0o0o0o0

The two boys burst into Elizabeth's quarters, where she, April and Eric were studying a charter map. "What is the meaning of this?" Elizabeth demanded.

"Eric, did Tesoro come in to see you?" Jonesy asked, not paying attention to Elizabeth.

"N-no. Is there a problem?" Eric asked.

"What's going on?" April asked, sounding the most concerned.

"She was supposed tah be workin'," Tyson said. "But she got hit in deh eye with a barnacle, an' now she's missin'."

"No one get alarmed." Elizabeth said firmly, before Eric and April began to exaggerate. "She's still on the ship, I'm sure. Just look around for her, she'll turn up."

"I hope so," Tyson sighed. "I'd hate tah hear if somet'ing happened tah that girl."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Lucinda and Gregory listened outside the door, grinning evilly. "Looksss like Tysssson and Jonessssy are getting a little clossse to that girl." Lucinda hissed, chuckling.

"Yeah, especially Tyson." Gregory snickered. "Remember how you said how close they were the first night? Heh, I think they're getting _closer_!"

The grin on Lucinda's turned into a mischievous smile. "C'mon, let's see if we can find the little runt."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Tesoro dreamt about her parents, about their first voyage…

_Jim stood on the mast, overlooking the passing stars in the Etherium. He heard a grunt, and turned to see Natalie trying to pull herself up. He walked toward her, keeping his balance, and grabbed her hand, helping her up._

"_Thank you," she said, smiling._

"_Hey, it's the least I could do, since you stopped Louigi from sending Kenny to an early grave." Jim replied, grinning._

"_Oh, don't be so modest, Hawkins. You broke up the fight."_

"_Yeah, but you talked some sense into Louigi, telling him… what was it?"_

"_I told him, 'Killing the cabin boy won't make your cooking better,'" she giggled. "I also told him that Kenny's just mad because he made something the crew really enjoyed. He took it as an insult at first, but I told him that I meant his cooking skills were getting better, along with his sailing skills."_

_Jim chuckled. "He always was more of a sailor than a cook. I think I put him in the wrong position."_

_Natalie shrugged. "Not too late to give him a higher rank."_

"_Yeah. I guess I should think twice before judging someone's position…" his face leaned closer to Natalie's._

"_I guess I should learn not to judge others quickly, as well…" her face leaned closer to Jim's._

"_I'm guessing you two love-birds guessed wrong." A voice said above them. Looking up, they gasped, seeing Kenny was watching them, his eyes full of hate, and a pistol in his hand, aimed right at them-_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Tesoro woke with shock from the dream, gasping. She stood up, stretching (her back popping from leaning against crates for a couple hours), and realized she had fallen asleep. _Tyson's gonna kill me! _she thought, then ran above deck, where she saw it was late afternoon-

And Lucinda and Gregory were towering over her. Gregory was grinning evilly, his eyes shimmering with mischief, but Lucinda's expression was more grim, her green eyes glowing with ferocity.

"Well, look who is issss." Lucinda hissed, picking Tesoro up by her shirt collar with her claw. "Where've you been, cabin girl?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: Cue cliffhanger!

Anon and OMGitsEMILY: Hope you both are enjoying the romance in this story (wink wink).

Kristen: Sorry to have kept you waiting, it _has_ been a busy school week for me.

Plus, if you guys have any ideas on what I could include in my story, they would be greatly appreciated. R/R Flames suck.


	17. Chapter 17: Some Advice

And now, since I've become addicted to writing at the moment… Chapter 17!

Disclaimer: I _could_ own Treasure Planet, but it blew up. And I don't own the movie, either.

0o0o0o0o0

Tesoro squirmed in Lucinda's grasp. "What do you want?" she demanded.

"Oh, nothing really." Lucinda teased, her green eyes gleaming with mischief. "I jussst wanted to let you know that you've gotten the whole sssship worried, that'sssssss all."

Tesoro stopped squirming. "Huh?"

"You heard her," Gregory said, grinning with delight. "Everyone's worried that you've disappeared. …Some even think you've fallen overboard. And died."

"N-no. I-I was just below deck! I-"

"Got everyone worked up over nothing," Lucinda said, feigning disappointment. "Tsk, tsk, Tesssssoro. Sssecond day on a ssship, and you make everyone'sssss blood presssssure go up a galactic mile. What have you got to ssssay for yourssssself?"

"I didn't mean to! I just overheard Eric and Elizabeth talking, and-"

"Eavesdropping, eh?" Gregory said, arching an eyebrow. "Ooh, Tesoro, you should know better than that! Why, if you keep _that_ up, they won't let you come with you on another voyage."

"Gregory issss right." Lucinda said. "Why, with what you've pulled jusssst now, I doubt they'd think you're sssspace-worthy." She dropped Tesoro and scoffed. "They probably don't think you're cut out for sssssspace, anymore."

Tesoro glared and turned away from Lucinda. "They don't think that, anyway." she said, quietly.

"I didn't catch that. What'd you say?" Gregory asked, teasingly.

Tesoro stood up and walked away. "I don't need this."

"Yeah, keep walking, cabin girl." Lucinda called to her. "Better yet, why don't you do usss all a favor and jussst leave?"

Tesoro turned and glowered at Lucinda. "Why don't you do us all a favor and sssstop ssspitting with your accent, you dumb spider."

Lucinda snarled and lunged at Tesoro, holding her up by her shirt again. "I'd knock off the attitude, if I were you,"

"Well, you're _not_ me, so keep _your_ attitude to yourself, you arachnid snot!" Tesoro kicked Lucinda in the ribs, making her release her. But the Spiderdid wasn't going to let her off easy. She smacked Tesoro in the face, sending her flying across the deck, landing hard on the floor. She scurried over to continue the beating, but Tesoro kicked her in the face and ran off.

Lucinda covered her face with her claws, angrily wincing, then shook it off and began to pursue Tesoro, but Gregory held her back. "Let her go, Lucy," he said in a calm voice. "She'll get what's coming to her."

"Darn right ssssshe will," Lucinda sneered, then began to scurry away.

"Where are you going?"

Lucinda looked back and glowered at Gregory. "None of your bussssinessss." With that, she disappeared around the corner.

0o0o0o0o0o0

_Do you ever feel like breaking down?_

_Do you ever feel out of place?_

Tesoro stumbled into the galley. It was empty, so she sat down at a table and lied her face in her arms. She could feel the sting of the cut she got when Lucinda's claw hit her in the face, but it was nothing compared to what she said. Had she really gotten the whole crew worried?

_Like somehow you just don't belong_

_And no one understands you_

Sighing, she left the galley and went to her quarters. _Maybe Lucinda's right. _she thought. _Maybe they're all right. I'm probably not cut out for sailing. …Dad was wrong. _She grabbed her duffel bag, stuffing all her belongings in it, and left her room, heading toward the longboats' deck.

_Do you ever want to run away?_

_Do you lock yourself in your room?_

She took out her compass, and it was pointing in all different directions, as if it didn't know where to go. With all the anger and disappointment welling up inside of her, Tesoro threw it, and it landed in the longboat, making a *Conk!* sound.

_With the radio turned up so loud_

_That no one can hear you screaming_

"Ow!" A high-pitched cry rang out, and Jonesy popped up, angrily holding up the compass and looking around for whoever threw it. "All right, who's the wise guy who-" He stopped, seeing Tesoro. "Oh, Tess, it's you! Where have you been? …and why do you seem orange?"

"Orange?" Tesoro asked, cocking her head to the side.

"A mix between yellow and red, fear and anger. …Is something the matter?" He noticed her duffel bag. "You're not… leaving, are you?"

Tesoro sighed and threw her duffel bag into the longboat, then climbed in. "As a matter of fact, I am. I've been nothing but trouble ever since I set foot on this ship. I'm not cut out for it. I'm going home, Jonesy."

_No you don't know what it's like_

_When nothing feels alright_

"And what brought this nonsense up?" Jonesy asked, sternly.

"What makes you think-" Tesoro began.

"Tess, don't try to fool me. Not only am I good at coloring emotions, but I can read them, too. Now, tell me, what happened to make you feel like this?" Tesoro looked away, but he stuck his finger under her chin, turning her head back toward him, making her gaze into his sensitive, brown eyes that shimmered with concern. "Did someone hurt you?"

_You don't know what it's like_

_To be like me..._

Looking into the cabin boy's eyes, Tesoro wanted to tell him everything, but it was difficult. Especially when her eyes began to tear up. "I heard Elizabeth and Eric talking about me," she finally confessed, sighing. "They said I'm not cut out for sailing. Then Lucinda and Gregory said that I got everyone worried, and… Oh, Jonesy." She put her face in her hands to keep the cabin boy from seeing her tears.

_To feel hurt_

_To feel lost_

_To be left out in the dark_

Jonesy stood up in the lifeboat and sat down next to her, wrapping his arm around her. "Hey, don't cry, Tess. They don't know what they're talking about." he said.

"But they're right, Jonesy. In just two days, I've messed things up, and-" Tesoro said.

_To be kicked when you're down_

_To feel like you've been pushed around_

"Whoa, you didn't mess _anything_ up. Lucy and Greygor, they're just jerks. They always pick on the new guys, just for kicks. They've been picking on Tyson and me ever since we took up sailing, but once they realized their harassment had nothing on us, they stopped. …Well, kind of, I mean, we still pick on each other once in a while, but still…" Jonesy said.

"But-" Tesoro began to protest.

_To be on the edge of breaking down_

_With no one there to save you_

Jonesy gripped her shoulder, gently. "Listen to me, Tesoro Hawkins!" He said firmly, yet also gently. "Just because things started out bad, doesn't mean you should just quit! When you walk away from your problems, they'll just stick around and haunt you. You've got to take the helm and chart your own course, stick to it, no matter the squalls! And when the time comes for you to test the cut of your sails, and show them what you're really made out of… well, I hope I'm there, catching the light coming off you that day."

Tesoro sniffled. "Those words… where'd you come up with them?" she asked, knowing she had heard the same thing before.

Jonesy sighed, but smiled. "My dad would tell me the same thing when I thought I messed up. Why?"

"My dad… a friend of his said the same thing."

"Huh! That's a coincidence. I wonder if they knew each other?"

"Possibly…" Tesoro wiped a tear from her right eye, and flinched from pain, remembering that it was still swollen from when that barnacle hit her.

"Your eye's still swelled up. Didn't you get it treated?"

Tesoro shook her head. "No. After I heard what Eric and Elizabeth said, I just… ran below deck and hid in the cargo hold."

_No you don't know what it's like..._

"So dat's where you've been!" A voice called from below. Looking over, they saw Tyson- with Morph on his shoulder- staring angrily at them. "Ya got us all runnin' ragged, Tessy. Care tah explain why ya skipped work?"

_Welcome to my life_

0o0o0o0o0o0

April stood in her room, looking out the window at the oncoming dusk. She was worried about Tesoro, and hoped she was okay, wondering what could have caused her to just-

_Knock knock._

"Yes?" She said, hearing the knock at the door.

"It'ssss jussst me," Lucinda said, stepping in raising her claws in innocence, grinning.

April smiled back. Next to her sisters and Tesoro, Lucinda was her best friend. Oh, sure, they were total opposites- she was more casual while Lucinda was more rugged- but if they were alike, there wouldn't be much to their friendship, she knew. "Hello, Lu. What's going on?"

Lucinda rubbed the back of her neck, blushing. "I, uh, need sssome advice… You sssee, there'sss thisss boy I like, and we're good friendsss… kind of."

"Kind of?"

"Well, we've only known each other a couple yearssss, but we're not what you would call the bessst of palsss."

"Uh, huh. Go on."

"Well, you sssee, I really like him, but he doesssn't know it, and I'm a bit sssshy when it comesss to sssshowing my feelingssss, and when I do…"

"You get a bit cocky, don't you?" Lucinda glared at her. "Sorry. Just a guess."

Lucinda sighed. "No, no. You're right. It'sss jussst… It'sssss a new feeling for me, but I don't know how to deal with it."

April nodded. "Well, have you tried being nice…" Another glare. "…er?"

"I don't _do_ niccccce. Besssidesss, I don't think he'sss into niccce girls."

April shrugged. "You won't know until you try. Just remember: Boys- they're an entirely different species, complicated to be exact."

Lucinda scoffed. "I could tell that jussst by looking at Tyssson and Jonessssy. They're always messssing around… and I think they've gotten that Tesssssoro girl in on their gamessss."

April's ears perked up. "Tesoro?"

"Yeah, the little runt gave me attitude this afternoon."

April crossed her arms, eyeing her friend suspiciously. "What did you say to her?"

"What?"

"Don't play innocent, Lucinda. I know that the only reason anyone ever gives you trouble is if you gave them trouble first… or they just don't like you."

"I don't think ssshe likesss me."

"Lucinda…" April glowered.

"Oh, for the love of… Lisssten, all I'm sssaying isss that I don't like it when other people give me attitude!"

"You didn't hurt her, did you?"

"No, of coursssse not!" April glared at her, straight in the eye. "Okay, maybe jussst a little…" she still glared. "Aw, c'mon! I didn't do anything _too_ brutal! I just smacked her! I doubt I did any damage. Besssidesss, ssshe kicked me firssst."

"You'd better hope she's all right."

"Why are you being sssso defenssssssssive of her, all of a ssssudden?"

"Look, I just don't want to have to see my best friend get sent to the brig because she got in a fight on board."

"April…"

"Just ease down on the violence and criticism, okay? Promise me."

"Fine." Lucinda sighed, shaking April's hand. "April?"

"Yes, Lu?"

"Do you think I'm a… sssssnot?"

April scoffed. "Oh, please, Lu! You may be brutal, cynical, mean, and critical, but you're not a snot."

"Ssssome people think ssso."

"Only because they haven't seen the good side of you. Like I said, try being kind…_er_, and by the end of this voyage, I'm sure you'll have more friends… especially a special friend." She smiled and winked.

Lucinda chuckled. "I hope ssso."

0o0o0o0o0

Tesoro finished telling Tyson her story of what happened- from being hit in the eye with a barnacle to her fight with Lucinda- and it made her nervous (or, in Jonesy's case, yellow) when his eyes grew red.

"Dang it, dat arachnid's really going too far!" Tyson snapped when she finished.

"Going too far!" Morph repeated, turning into a mini Tyson punching at the air.

"Is… that how you got that scratch on your cheek?" Jonesy asked. He had noticed it earlier, but he didn't want to say anything to hurt Tesoro. Even asking it now, he felt as if he asked a personal- and stupid- question.

"Naw, Jonesy, deh barnacle dat hit 'er just had claws." Tyson said, sarcastically.

"Y-yeah, but it's not too deep." Tesoro replied, covering her scratch. "There's no blood, so…"

"Still, we ought to get it treated. It can still get infected." Jonesy said. "Maybe Eric has something to put on it."

"Speaking of deh Doppler's, I t'ink I might 'ave a word with them laters." Tyson said, glaring over his shoulder as if Eric and Elizabeth were right behind them. "Sayin' such t'ings about Tessy… I oughtta knock 'em in-tah next week!"

"Knock 'em in-tah next week!" Morph mimicked.

"Yeah… but right now, Tess- whether you want to or not- we'd better get you treated." Jonesy said, almost forcefully, though his smile wouldn't allow it.

"If you say so," Tesoro sighed, grinning.

"Darn right we say so," Tyson huffed, smiling while his eyes faded back to copper. "I can't let ya work with yer face like dat, otherwise deh crew will t'ink I'm pushin' ya too hard."

"Too late for that," Jonesy joked, and they all laughed.

"C'mon, you twos. We gotta make dinner."

"Dinner!" Morph exclaimed happily, whirling around the threesome's heads as they walked out.

0o0o0o0o0

A/N: And there you go!

Anon: Yeah… Glad you're liking it! : )

OMGitsEMILY: Ooh, Lucinda's got a bit of romance too, doesn't she? Am I adding too much for you, or is it okay? ;D

Kristen: Thanks for the ideas, they were really good, but I don't think I'll make Lucinda and Gregory the villains… or will I? idk but your ideas about Tyson having feelings for Tesoro really inspired much! ;)

Please R/R. Flames have scorched me before, so it would be a dire mistake if you sent them.


	18. Chapter 18: Things Heat Up

Okay, New chapter's up! (gets stampeded by readers) …ow…

Disclaimer: I don't own Treasure Planet, but I own the movie on DVD (of which I'm watching as I'm writing this :D)

0o0o0o0o0

Tesoro, Jonesy, and Tyson stepped onto the main deck when Valerie leaped down from the masts and landed on her feet gracefully in front of them.

"Yikes!" Tyson yelped, jumping back. "Geez, Doppler! Don't _do_ dat! Ya almost gave me a heart attack!"

"So, I was serving a good cause," Valerie chuckled, but her expression turned to shock when she saw Tesoro. "Good Lord, Tess! What happened to your eye? And-" She glowered when she looked at her cheek. "Did Lucinda give you that cut?"

Tesoro rubbed her scratched cheek. "I-It's nothing, Val." She said, half-heartedly. "Really."

"Nuh uh, I don't think so!" Valerie grabbed Tesoro's wrist and pulled her along. "C'mon, let me take care of that."

"Hey, hold up!" Tyson sneered, stepping between the young girl and felinid. "What makes ya t'ink ya can treat a wound like _dat_?" he pointed to Tesoro's eye. "Somet'ing dat bad needs professional medical help, an' if I recall, ya ain't a doctor."

Valerie glowered at Tyson. "When it comes to helping someone you care about, you don't _need_ to be a doctor. C'mon, Tess." She walked away, followed by Tesoro, who looked back at the boys and shrugged.

Tyson gaped with both anger and shock at Valerie, while Jonesy stood by him, just as surprised by Valerie's act as his friend. "So..." Jonesy said, breaking the silence, awkwardly. "What now?"

Tyson shrugged. "Guess we should go fix dinner." he muttered, trudging down to the galley.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Tesoro shivered slightly as Valerie applied a healing cream to her eye, then put peroxide on her cut, and she hissed from the sting.

"Oh, quit flinching." Valerie said as she put a bandage on her cut. "The sting won't last long."

"Sorry," Tesoro said. She began walking out of her room as Valerie put everything back into the medical kit (which she 'borrowed' from Eric's room). "Thanks, Val."

"Tess?"

"Yeah?"

"How come you ran off... I mean, if it's not too personal."

Tesoro sighed. "It's nothing now. Tyson and Jonesy already helped me out with it."

Valerie's ears bent back in concern, and her eyes showed anger. "It was something Lucinda and Gregory said, wasn't it?"

"No! ...Well, yes... but it wasn't just them. I overheard your brother and sister talking about me, and-"

"Say no more." She put an arm around Tesoro and smiled encouragingly. "I'll talk to them."

"You don't have to. It might just make things worse..."

Valerie scoffed. "I'd say it was already bad if they started talking bad about you. It can't get any worse than that. Now, go help the Boys of the Galley with dinner, and I'll see you later."

Tesoro nodded and sighed, knowing that Valerie never took 'no' for an answer. "Whatever you say, Val. And thanks again." And she left.

0o0o0o0o0o0

The after dinner challenge that night was chugging hot sauce. Whoever could go the longest without dousing themselves with water was the champion.

Lucinda was ruled out, since she was allergic, and Eric had forbidden Valerie from accepting the challenge at the risk of his sister getting heart-burn. The rest of the crew took the challenge, and they all dropped like flies, dousing themselves with cold water. Tyson- who decided to sit the challenge out and make the hot sauce- laughed as his fellow crew mates' faces turned red and smoke poured out of their mouths.

He fell over laughing when one crew member dunked his whole head in the water barrel. "Alright, dat's enough." he said when he calmed down, grabbing the crew mate by the shirt collar and pulling him out. "We don't want ya contaminatin' deh water."

Within minutes, only 3 people stood, their face red from the heat in their mouths: Gregory, Jonesy, and Tesoro. Jonesy had tried to talk Tesoro out of it, but she insisted that she could handle it, and Tyson didn't argue.

But now, as they took another shot of hot sauce, she knew she was wrong. "Holy crap, Tyson!" she gasped dryly, her eyes beginning to water. "What did you put in this sauce? Molten lava?"

"If you can't h-handle it," Jonesy gasped, fanning his tongue. "You can drop (gasp) out any t-time."

"No chance!"

Gregory gasped out a puff of smoke. "I can't take the heat!" He exclaimed, rushing over and- picking up the whole barrel- poured water on his face and into his mouth. He set the barrel down and gasped for air. "That's better." He shook the water out of his dark blue hair, getting everyone who stood next to him wet (but they didn't mind, considering it was a bit refreshing).

"Gosh darn it, Greygor!" Tyson snapped. "Now we have tah get more water!" He grabbed Greygor- er, Gregory by the shirt collar and began dragging him down to the storage area to grab a new barrel of fresh water.

Jonesy and Tesoro faced each other, staring at each other in the eye, willing the other to give up. Jonesy grabbed another hot sauce shot and chugged it. His eyes flashed different colors of red and orange, and smoke started coming out of his ears, but he shook it off.

Tesoro took her shot, but didn't even get half of it down before she gasped and- quiet literately- blew fire out of her mouth and started fanning her mouth, rushing around the galley to douse the heat with any available liquid. Morph chased her, turning into a miniature fire-hose and spraying her. But it wasn't enough.

Tyson and Gregory had brought out the fresh water barrel, and on sight, she dived head-first into it (splashing the gray alien and hybrid in the process) and gulping down the water. She popped up, completely soaked, but relieved.

But her relief was gone when she saw that she drenched Tyson. He glowered at her, then grabbed her by the shirt collar and hoisted her out of the barrel. "S-sorry. It was... too hot?" she apologized.

Tyson continued to glare, but then threw his head back and laughed, patting her on the back. "Don't get discouraged, Tessy... though, we'll have tah stop at a port fer more water, now." he said.

"I warned you," Jonesy gasped as he walked over, then stuck his head in the water barrel. He jerked it back up, splashing water on everyone.

"Ah, blast it, Jonesy!"

"Hey, someone already took a dive in the barrel, so it won't hurt it none." Jonesy faced the crowd and shot his fists in the air in triumph. "Winner and remaining champion, right here, folks!"

The crew cheered him half-heartedly, still a bit exasperated from consuming too much hot sauce. Morph turned into a medal and wrapped himself around the cabin boy's neck.

Jonesy grabbed Tesoro's hand and held it in the air. "Cheers for my worthy competitor, my longest lasting challenger- Tesoro!" The crew cheered again, even Gregory and Lucinda applauded (though with less enthusiasm).

The challenge was over, and everyone went back to their positions as Jonesy, Tesoro, and Tyson cleaned the galley.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Later that evening, Tesoro met Jonesy on the main deck, overlooking the wide open regions of space. "Congratulations, Jonesy." Tesoro said to him, patting him on the back. "You really know how to hold your spices."

Jonesy shrugged. "Eh, I just like hot sauce." he said. "I used to put it on almost all my food when I was a kid- couldn't get enough... though I did drink a lot of water." he chuckled.

"If you were on my dad's ship, you'd probably enjoy his cook's food. Everything he made pretty much exploded, my mom used to say, all thanks to his 'special spice'."

"Maybe I'll get to meet him sometime. His food sounds tempting." Jonesy chuckled again, and Tesoro joined him, but her chuckling didn't last long before it became a sorrowful sigh. "What's wrong?"

Tesoro looked out at the galaxy. "I just miss my dad, is all."

Jonesy sighed and leaned on his elbows on the edge, resting his head in the hands. "That makes two of us."

"Where's your dad?"

Jonesy looked up at the stars. "Probably dead. Last I saw him, he was in our house... right before it caught fire." he sighed. "My brother and I... we ran off, chased by these goons. They grabbed me and knocked me out, and before I know it, I'm waking up in an orphanage."

Tesoro's eyes widened. "You... you had a brother?"

"Yeah, but it's been so long that I vaguely remember him." He looked at Tesoro. "You seem pink with surprise about it."

"It's just that... Tyson had a brother, too... and his house was on fire too! Jonesy, do you suppose...?"

Jonesy shrugged. "I wondered the same thing- he and my brother had the same dark hair, and our dad's looks... but, sadly, I don't think so."

"Are you kidding? Your stories fit together! Why don't you think so?"

"I'm just tired of getting my hopes up, okay?" his voice was harsh, which took Tesoro by surprise. He sighed. "I'm sorry, Tesoro. I've... I've just had the same theories before- people sounding, looking, and having the same stories- but it all turned out to be lies in the end."

Tesoro stayed quiet, waiting for Jonesy to continue. When he didn't, she spoke up. "You shouldn't have doubts about people, Jonesy. You'll never know what to expect. Maybe if you tell Tyson-"

"I can't. He's been disappointed, too, Tess, as I'm sure he's mentioned. I don't want to get him upset."

Tesoro was about to say something, but she paused, eyeing him suspiciously. "How did you know he's talked to me about it?"

_Way to go, Jonesy! _The cabin boy scorned himself. "Uh... I just, overheard you, and-"

Tesoro smiled. "Don't worry, about it. I've dropped in on other people's conversations before, too."

"So you told me," The cabin boy and cabin girl laughed. He sighed. "I.. I guess I'm just nervous about meeting my brother, is all. What would he think of me? ...Would he even like me?"

Tesoro nudged him. "What's there _not_ to like? ...Besides, even if Tyson_ isn't_ your brother, he comes pretty close." she patted his hand. "But, hey, you can talk to him about it when you feel like it."

Jonesy smiled and wrapped his arm around Tesoro, hugging her. "Thanks, Tess."

"For what?"

Jonesy leaned close to her, his face inches from her. "For listening." He pecked a kiss on her forehead, then walked away.

Tesoro stood there, awestruck, a smile spreading across her face as she blushed (for the 101st time).

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Tyson watched the whole thing from across the deck. "Well, Jonesy, looks like you've found a girl... and in just two months!" he said to himself, chuckling.

"What's so funny?" A voice next to him asked. He looked over and saw Valerie.

"Eh, nothin'." Tyson shrugged, watching as Tesoro happily walked back to her quarters. He couldn't help but smile.

Valerie caught his gaze. "You like what you see?"

"Huh? ...Oh, it's not just Tesoro, it's Jonesy, too. ...I t'ink he likes her."

"Really? ...Are you sure it's Jonesy and not... someone else?" she nudged Tyson.

"Ah, don't be ridiculous! Tessy's okay, but she's not me type."

Valerie scoffed. "You have a type?"

"Yeah, I'm more in-tah deh cunnin', rough, cynical-yet-sweet types out t'ere." He put his hand in his pocket and took out a purp. "Oh, dat reminds me, here." he handed it to Valerie.

"What's this for?"

"I couldn't help but notice yah missed breakfast this mornin'. Just t'ought I'd save ya a little somet'ing." He tipped his gray hat to her. "Well, g'night, kitten." And he walked off.

Valerie watched him go and shrugged. She smelled the purp, making sure it was fresh, and was about to bite into it until it suddenly struck her...

Tyson was describing _her_.

0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: Well, it seems things really are 'heating up' aren't they? Hopefully I'll get some more action put in later.

OMGitsEMILY: Shocked that Lucinda has her own crush, huh? Hope your enjoying all the romance

Anon: So glad you're liking this.

Kristen: I could use a couple inspirations. Got any ideas?

And, to my most recent reviewer- Manga Girl 6: Thank you so much! And I can't wait for the next chapter of "By A Strand Of Fate" :)


	19. Chapter 19: What You Want Most

Two updates in two days, woo! I'm on a roll! But, we've had some snowdays lately, and being trapped inside from the cold gave me a lot of spare time, so... here's the next chapter!

Disclaimer: I only own Tesoro, Jonesy, Tyson, Natalie, Gene, Louigi, Kenny, Lucinda, Gregory and a ton of other OC. The original TP characters belong to those lucky people at Disney Studios.

Now that that's out of the way... On with the show!

0o0o0o0o0o0

All Tesoro dreamed about as she slept was her parents, starting with another dream about their first voyage...

0o0o0o0o0o0

"Kenny, what are you doing?" Jim demanded boldly, but shock was in his voice as well as the cabin boy held a pistol in front of his face.

"I'm about to perform mutiny and kill you, what do you think I'm doing?" Kenny snapped, his eyes flaring with a mixture of hatred and insanity.

"But... why?" Natalie asked. "We didn't do anything to you!"

"Ha! Don't be absurd, Ms. Crow. You placed me as a cabin boy on this stupid mercer ship, while I should have been a sailor! But no, you decided- since I'm just a boy- to place me on kitchen duty, under the command of that... that... rotten cooking nut you call a cook!"

"You know, most teenagers just sulk about that sort of thing, rather than trying to _kill_ somebody," Jim said, trying to figure out a plan.

"You don't get it, Hawkins," Kenny cocked his pistol. "I've been degraded by everyone my whole life! They all thought I couldn't handle anything, they thought I was _weak_! Well, we'll see how weak they think I am when I take down 'The Great Jim Hawkins'," he spat out the last four words as if they were poison and held the pistol up to Jim's throat.

"Kenny, listen to me," Natalie said forcefully, but her tone was calm. "You shouldn't listen to what others say about you, otherwise you'll start doubting yourself. And when you start doubting yourself, you lose trust in yourself as well."

"Your soothing talk won't work on me, Crow. People have said the same thing to me, 'Just believe in yourself, not what others say,' but everything _still _ended in disappointment for me! And now, I'm getting pushed around by some half-wit!"

Natalie stepped closer, noticing he had a scar on his left eye. "Your eye... What happened."

Her statement caught the cabin boy off guard. "What?"

"That scar... Who hurt you?"

Kenny winced. "Everyone..." he pressed the gun deeper into Jim's throat. "Now, enough of the talk! Back away, Crow, or I'll shoot you too-"

Jim took the brief opportunity and kicked his knee upward, striking Kenny in the stomach while his attention was on Natalie. The cabin boy gasped and leaned over, clutching his stomach. Jim grabbed his hand that held the pistol and twisted it upward, making him cry out in pain and drop it. He punched Jim in the jaw with his other hand, making him fall over, grabbing onto the mast. Kenny stood before, him, stepping on his hands.

But to his misfortune, Natalie had caught the gun before it dropped onto the main deck and- keeping her balance- aimed it at Kenny, forcing him to hold his pose. "Back away from the captain, or I'll blow your brains out." she threatened, her green eyes dark with truth.

"A-A-Alright," Kenny stammered, raising his arms in the air and stepping off of Jim's hand, backing away. "Whatever you say, Ms. Crow,"

"That's why people call you weak," Jim grunted, pulling himself back onto the mast. "You act like you can do something, but you give up when something difficult comes around." He laid a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Ken, it's not about how tough you are, or how smart, but the strength with your heart. She's right- don't listen to other's judgments, listen to your own."

Kenny sank down to his knees, covering his hands and sobbing. Jim knelt beside him and patted him on the back. "It's okay, Kenny," he wrapped his arms around the boy. "It's alright."

"Psych!" Kenny exclaimed, pushing Jim completely off the mast, then turned to Natalie, "Now, you-"

"Hiya!" Natalie leaped and kicked Kenny in the gut, slamming him against the vertical mast. She then grabbed him by the shirt collar. "You killed the only man I've ever loved, you stupid, sick-minded idiot!"

"Uh... sorry?" Kenny squeaked.

"Oh, you will be," Natalie pointed the pistol at Kenny's head. "Now, climb down onto the main deck... or you'll be going down the _hard_ way."

Kenny obeyed, climbing down the shrouds, with Natalie beside him, gun still pointed to his head. "A-Are you going to k-kill me?" the cabin boy asked.

"Not unless I get permission from the judge, but that will be a while. In the meantime, I'm going to make the rest of your life a living hell." Kenny gulped.

"Whoa, Natalie, I've been mad at Kenny before, but... wow, you really outdid it on the anger factor." An Italian voice said. They turned and saw Louigi, surprised at Natalie's forcefulness.

Standing next to him- also surprised- was Gene, who was holding in all four of his arms, Jim. "Hey, would this hansom man belong to you, by any chance?" Gene asked, smiling.

"Gene! How did-" Natalie asked, lowering the pistol, letting Kenny run off, only to be grabbed by the shirt by Louigi.

"I was just climbing up the masts when this flightless bird fell in my arms. It wasn't long when I realized it was Jim."

"We were on our way back up to help but... I guess you've got everything handled." Jim said, climbing out of Gene's arms.

Natalie ran up and hugged him, then backed away, her hands still on his shoulders. "Are you okay?" she asked.

Jim put an arm around Natalie. "Of course I am. ...As long as you're okay, that is." He guided her back to her quarters, arm still around her. "Now, c'mon, I think it's time you got some rest."

"Whatever you say, Captain Hawkins," Natalie chuckled, then rested her head on his shoulder.

"Please, call me 'Jim'."

"On one condition: you call me 'Natalie'."

Gene watched them walk off, his eyes filled with romance. "Ami. C'est l'amour." he sighed.

"You can say that again." Louigi said, then tightened his grip around Kenny's shirt. "Now, as for you, I think it's time you've been sent to a new room... down in the brig."

"Aw, c'mon! I said I was sorry!" Kenny whined, but Gene and Louigi wouldn't hear it, throwing the former cabin boy into a cell.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Tesoro's dream shifted, this time it was just about her mother, sitting at the Benbow Inn, her grandmother, Sarah, patting her shoulder, reassuringly...

0o0o0o0o0o0

"There, there, Natalie. Don't cry." Sarah said, trying to cheer up her daughter-in-law, but with no prevail. "I'm sure they'll come back."

"I'm just having trouble believing Tesoro would just run off..." Natalie sniffled. "I mean, I know she can handle it- all she studied about was sailing, and Jim and I even taught her about it... but I'm still worried."

Sarah sighed. "I felt the same way when Jim set off on his own for the first time," she sat down, staring at her locket, opening up and showing a holographic scene of Jim stepping off the _RLS LEGACY_ and hugging her. "I thought I'd never see him again. ...But he proved me wrong." She smiled. "And believe me, Natalie, Tesoro is more like Jim than I'd every wish to know. She'll come back, and Jim will come with her."

Natalie smiled. "I'm praying for it," she sighed heavily. "I really am."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Tesoro's dream shifted once more, and this time it caused her to toss and turn in her bed. The dream was about her dad...

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The_ CSS MAELSTROM _- or what remained of it- lied among a heap of crushed trees, in front of a newly cleared path of wreckage. A small group climbed out of the wreckage of the ship- Jim, BEN, Louigi, and Gene.

"Okay, next time, _I_ drive," Louigi moaned, his body aching.

"Did you find any other survivors?" Jim asked Gene.

"Sorry, Jim... the rest of the crew have been lost." Gene replied sadly, taking his triangular hat off in respect. "They've been crushed by crates, barrels, broken masts... you name it."

Jim sighed and shook his head, then pounded the ground with his fist. "It's all my fault!"

"Jimmy-" BEN began, but Jim cut him off.

"No, don't say anything! I've drug you all into danger, we've lost all of the crew, and now we're stranded on this forsaken planet! ...all because of me."

Gene laid a hand on Jim's shoulder. "You did it to help a friend, Jim." he said, then looked around at their surroundings."...Wherever they are on this planet."

"Yeah, Jimmy!" BEN said, enthusiastically. "We've come _this_ far! We can't give up now!"

Louigi nodded. "BEN is right, Jim," he said. "We'll find who you're looking for, and get back home! ...By the way, who _are_ we looking for?"

Jim sat on a rock, sighing heavily and rubbing the back of his neck. "I guess I might as well tell you now," he said, fearful of what his friends would think once he told them. "You're going to call me crazy, though."

"Ah, don't worry, Jim." Gene said. "We always thought you were crazy. ...Except for BEN, I guess."

"Hey, I'm already crazy, so no problem here." BEN said.

Jim shrugged. "All right, here it goes..." he began. "I had this dream that I was back on the _RLS LEGACY_, when a star was going supernova..."

"Oh, this is gonna be good, I can tell."

"Shh!" Louigi angrily hissed at the robot.

"Silver and I were up in the masts, securing the sails," Jim continued. "All of a sudden, he fell overboard and- LOOK OUT!"

A laser ball hit the ground, missing the four sailors by mere inches. A large plume of smoke and dirt blocked out the scene, and everything faded to black.

0o0o0o0o0o0

"DAD!" Tesoro screamed, sitting up in her hammock, drenched with sweat.

"Huh? What?" Lucinda said, sleepily, awakened by her cabin mates' outburst. She groaned. "What are you yelling about, Tessssoro?"

"J-Just had a nightmare, that's all." Tesoro lied back down on her pillow, still a little shaky.

"That'sssss what happenssss when you chug Tyssssson'sss hot ssssauce." Lucinda rolled back onto her side, falling back to sleep.

Tesoro just lied there, trying to calm herself down. _Relax, they were only dreams. _She told herself, but was unsure. _...Weren't they?_

She remembered her father after he had the dream about Silver, and how she told him it had to be a message. Was the same thing happening to her? Were these dreams really signs of what was happening? Unable to answer her own questions, she climbed out of her hammock and walked onto the main deck.

_I'd be getting up in a couple hours, anyway. _Tesoro thought, looking out at the Etherium, where dawn was almost at its peak. She stared at the stars, as they began to fade, then took out her compass.

This time, it was pointing in the right direction. "Fancy gadget you've got there," A voice said behind her. Once again, Valerie had pulled a Ninja trick and snuck up beside her. "That the same compass you got 12 years ago, on your first voyage?"

"Sure is," Tesoro replied, a smirk appearing on her lips. "It's working now."

"Still keeps pointing in the wrong direction, huh?"

"Yep, but not this time, for some strange reason. It's normally always pointing somewhere I don't want to go."

Valerie observed the compass. "Or is it?"

"Huh?"

Valerie snatched up the compass. "What if... it's been pointing in the right direction all along?"

"Are you kidding? The other day it was pointing East, while we were going Southwest."

"Uh huh... and what did you see when it pointed East?"

"Not much." Tesoro shrugged. "Just stars, barrels, shrouds, Tyson, the edge of-" she paused, seeing Valerie grinning. "Waaaiiit... are you saying-"

"Well, ain't this something?" Valerie laughed, looking at the compass. "A compass that not only points in the directions to go- sometimes- but at something you want! ...Why does that sound familiar?"

Tesoro rolled her eyes and snatched her compass back. "It was the same type of compass Jack Sparrow used."

"_Captain_ Jack Sparrow, my dear friend. You can't deny that this might be the same kind of compass."

"Oh, don't be silly! That kind of compass doesn't exist! And even if it did, it was probably lost millions of years ago!"

"Things come back, mate."

"Quoting Sparrow, I take it?"

"You know it!"

Tesoro sighed and tucked the compass back into her shirt. "Whatever. What are you doing up at this hour, anyway?"

"Just thought I'd enjoy the early morning solitude before the rest of the crew wakes up and ruins it. What about you?"

"I had a dream about my parents... one of them was about my dad being on Xenta, and in danger."

Valerie's ears perked up in surprise. "That's funny... the other night, I had a dream about his ship being sucked in by the planet's gravity!"

"What? Why didn't you say anything?"

"What was I supposed to say? 'Hey, guys! The ship we're looking for crash-landed on Xenta!'? I think everyone figured that out, already." Tesoro sighed and turned away from the felinid. "But... your dad was a great captain as they neared Xenta. He made sure that Louigi double-checked the lifelines, and he had fine strategy."

"In my dream, he didn't think so. In fact, the whole crew was crushed in the landing, and only he, Gene, BEN, and Louigi made it... and he blamed himself." She sighed again. "I hope he's okay."

Valerie patted her on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Tess. My dad knew your dad, and he said that he was the most outstanding man he'd ever met. From what I've heard, if your dad can take on pirates, find a hidden treasure that nearly everyone believed to be a myth, and find a way to save the whole crew from an exploding planet, then Xenta will be no problem for him!"

Tesoro smiled. "I guess you're right..."

"Don't guess. Know." Valerie gave her one last pat on the back and walked off, leaving the cabin girl alone.

Tesoro took her compass out once more. _Whatever you want... _the words rang in her head. "I want to find my dad," she whispered. She watched as the compass spun, then pointed Southwest, the path to Xenta.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Tyson couldn't help but hear the conversation between Valerie and Tesoro, and his pointed ears perked up when Valerie brought up what the compass could do. _Could it actually...? _He wondered.

"I t'ink I'll see if Tessy will let me use dat compass," he said, chuckling to himself. After all, if Valerie was right, Tesoro's compass could point him to anything he wanted most.

Including getting his brother back. He walked back to the galley, thinking of how he could get Tesoro to hand over her compass, when he paused, suddenly wondering if... that one night... if Tesoro actually wanted him.

"Nah," he told himself, walking into the kitchen. "She couldn't really like me... could she?" He shook his head. "No way, Jonesy already likes her."

_But does she like him back the same way? _a voice inside his head asked.

_Of course she does! _he told the voice. _You saw how her face lit up after he kissed her! She really likes him, maybe she even loves him!_

_But she loved you first._

_Ah, shaddap. Tesoro an' I could never work out like dat-_

"Morning, Tyson," he heard a voice say behind him. La de da, it was Tesoro.

"Tessy! Morning!" he replied, ending the argument with himself. "Decided tah get a head start on work, huh?"

Tesoro shrugged. "If it'll make up for the work I missed yesterday, of course."

"Well, ya can start by helping me get a start on breakfast. Get me dat pan, will ya?"

"Sure thing, Ty,"

As Tesoro walked off, Tyson couldn't help but think again, _Did she really like Jonesy? _

0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: And it seems as if Tyson is in a bit of a mix-up of emotions, isn't he? ...And yes, I did get the compass idea from _Pirates of the Caribbean_, another Disney pirate movie I don't own. Darn it.

NeverTooLate03: Another new reviewer! Hope you like what I put in for Natalie and Jim.

OMGitsEMILY and Anon: This romance thing is getting pretty complicated, isn't it? Glad your enjoying it! (Especially when I feel unsure of the chapters I upload)

Kristen: I'd like to say the idea you sent to me in the past actually inspired Tyson's emotion for this chapter. :)


	20. Chapter 20: Lets Go For A Ride!

Well, it's official: I'm addicted to writing! Maybe I should go to a WA meeting... after I write this chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not... oh, you know the story.

0o0o0o0o0

The morning light glittered into the cabin, shining onto Jonesy's head. Morph, who had been sleeping under his chin, woke up first, giddy for a new day on the ship. Jonesy snored loudly and pulled the covers over his head... and Morph, as well.

"Hey! What the...?" The little blob chattered, floating out from under the covers. He turned into a hand and tapped Jonesy on his head, but the cabin boy just waved him away.

"Five more minutes..." Jonesy mumbled, sleepily.

Morph decided to take a more direct approach. He turned into an alarm clock, hovered right where he thought Jonesy's ear might be...

_RIIIIIIIIIING! _The pink blob sounded off.

"Waah!" Jonesy yelled, jerking awake and falling out of his hammock. Morph busted out laughing. "Morph! Sheesh, can't you let a guy get some rest?"

Morph transformed back into a clock, reading the time, then turned back to normal and chattered at Jonesy.

"So I slept in, that doesn't..." Jonesy paused, then slapped his forehead. "Oh, man! I slept in! Tyson's gonna kill me!"

He quickly pulled on his boots and ran up the stairs- all at the same time- then rushed down to the galley, Morph trying to keep up with him.

"Tyson, I-" he paused, seeing that Tesoro was down in the kitchen rather than Tyson. "Oh, h-hi, Tesoro. Where's Tyson?"

Tesoro turned and grinned at the cabin boy. "Morning, Jonesy. He's just grabbing some zigordian eggs out of the storage pantry." she said as she stirred oatmeal in a pan.

"Whew, that's a relief. If he found out I had slept in, _boom!_ he'd explode."

"Eh, he's been giving me most of the work, so I'd doubt he'd be mad."

"And I doubt he wouldn't, if he figured I slept in and let you do all the work."

"Funny, since _he's_ always making_ both_ of us do all the work." She and Jonesy laughed.

"I heard dat!" Tyson called from the storage pantry, though his voice was more playful than angry. He opened the door to the storage room- by kicking it with his foot- and walked out, arms full with several cartons of large, green-speckled yellow eggs. "Hey, can one of ya give me a hand here, before one of t'ese cartons drops?"

"Sure, buddy," Jonesy said, walking over and grabbing a couple cartons, setting them on the counter.

"Thanks Jonesy. Now get tah work! Ya can't let Tessy have _all_ deh fun."

"Fun, ha!" Tesoro called over her shoulder.

Jonesy got to work, grabbing a few dishes out of the cupboard, all the while thinking about what Tesoro said the other night. He looked over at Tyson, who had his back to him. _Was Tesoro right? Could he be my brother? _Thinking of the matter made him remember the kiss he planted on Tesoro's forehead, and he blushed. _I'm such an idiot! _he thought, scorning himself, but he sighed deeply, smiling. _Ah, heck. It was worth it!_

He put some bowls on the counter next to Tesoro, who was having trouble trying to reach a sack of sugar off of a shelf. "Here, let me get that for you," he said, grabbing the sugar and handing it to her.

"Thanks, Jonesy," Tesoro said, then turned to Tyson. "How much sugar do I add, Ty?"

"Just half a cup," Tyson replied, cracking eggs over a skillet. Tesoro followed his order...

...then she realized Jonesy was still standing next to her, his elbow resting on the counter, smiling dreamily at her. When she looked up at him, he quickly turned away, walking- well, stumbling- over to grab more dishes. She chuckled to herself.

Tyson heard the chuckle, then turned to see Tesoro was watching Jonesy as he grabbed a few glasses, nearly dropping some, then turning to smile back at her. "Heh heh, slick cups," the cabin boy chuckled, reddening with embarrassment.

"Oy, Jonesy," Tyson said to himself. "You're quite the charmer." he chuckled and continued fixing the eggs.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Valerie sat up in the masts, staring at the purp Tyson had given to her last night. "Does he like me, or was he just fooling around again?" she asked herself, thinking about how he described his 'type' of girl.

Then she thought about his comment from their arm-wrestling match the other night, and she began to squeeze the juice out of the purp. "Definitely fooling," she chucked the fruit over the mast...

...where it dropped on Eric's head. "Hey!" he cried.

"Whoops, time to split!" Valerie hastily grabbed hold of some rope and swung down onto the deck-

-right into April. "Ow!" the blonde felinid cried as her sister toppled on top of her. "Valerie! Watch where you're swinging! You almost broke my entire body!"

"Sorry, just trying to make a quick escape," she stood up, brushed herself off, and ran off.

April scratched her head in confusion. "Make a quick escape?" Then she heard Eric yelling for Valerie, and she rolled her eyes. "Oh, yes. Of course." She sighed and walked along the deck. Seeing Elizabeth at the helm, she decided to check the course with her. "How's the course looking?"

"Very smooth, so far, but we'll have to stop at a harbor for fresh water." Elizabeth replied, sighing in annoyance. "I think I'll ban those 'after-dinner' challenges."

"Oh, you can't do that, Liz.. Er, Captain. It's the only thing that lets the crew have some fun, not to mention it would break Valerie's heart if you did."

"We're not here to have 'fun', April. We're here on a search! Now, go check the maps to see if there's any nearby ports we can get to."

"Aye, _Captain_." April had spat out the last word, annoyed with her sister's ego of authority. _Just wait until Mom finds out about this, _she told herself, then she sighed, worriedly. _If we ever get home._

0o0o0o0o0o0

Natalie couldn't help it. Her daughter and husband were out there in the universe somewhere, possibly in trouble, and she was just sitting home, waiting for them to come back. That wasn't like her. She wasn't a constantly-worrying woman who stood around imagining the worse.

She was a constantly-worrying_ sailor _who was going to go out and join in on the search! Grabbing her things and locking up the house, she headed straight to the Doppler home to discuss matters with Amelia.

"You're joking," Amelia said once Natalie told her about Tesoro and the search. "I haven't received word about anything on what happened to Jim's ship. Not even to organize a search party." she turned to Delbert, who sat next to her. "Have you, Delbert?"

"I did hear about what happened to the _MAELSTROM_," Delbert said. "And Elizabeth had mentioned that a few ships had been called out, but returned with no result." He turned sadly to Natalie. "I'm sorry, Natalie... about Jim."

"Do you know if any search boats had been sent out, recently?" Natalie asked.

"If they had, I doubt Tesoro would be on them," Amelia said, firmly. "Being of her size and age, no captain would allow her on board without your permission. She could still be at the space port as we speak,"

"Unless she stowed away..."

"Don't be daft!" Delbert gasped. "Tesoro may have a few of her father's characteristic's, but that doesn't mean she..." he paused, thinking about it. "...On second thought..."

The phone rang, then. "Excuse me, a moment." Amelia said, standing up and- in earshot- began talking into the phone. "Doppler residence... Yes, speaking..." her expression turned to surprise. "What?..." then it turned to shock. "What?..." then anger. "WHAT?..." she calmed down after a bit. "No, thank you, I'll handle it. Thank you." she hung up.

"What is it?" Natalie asked.

"It appears that one of my ship's have gone missing." Amelia clenched her fists. "Apparently, it's been 'borrowed' to assist with a search."

"What? Which one?" Delbert asked, baffled.

"The _SLR DESTINY_,"

"When was it stolen?" Natalie asked.

Amelia sighed, her ears bent back. "Two months ago... the same day our kids said they were going on a training course."

Delbert gasped. "You don't suppose...?"

"I do. ...And I hope I'm wrong."

"Amelia..." Natalie said, her voice full of shock. "You don't think... Tesoro might be on your ship... do you?"

"Knowing my kids, I wouldn't doubt it, Mrs. Hawkins."

Natalie felt her forehead. "My daughter's on a ship that's not even supposed to be sailing? ...I think I'm going to faint..."

"Watch where you fall, Natalie!" Delbert said.

"Why?"

"Because I might hit the floor before you,"

And he did, fainting backwards.

"Oh, knock it off, both of you!" Amelia snapped, pulling her husband back up onto his feet. "Now, listen to me. We're going to get one of our ships, find our children- and hopefully Jim as well- and bring them back! ...And, when we do, they're going to be in _big_ trouble!"

0o0o0o0o0o0

"Oh!" Eric gasped, shivering. He had been standing in Elizabeth's quarter's overlooking charts with April when he developed a tingling sensation.

"What is it?" April asked him.

"I don't know why, but I have a bad feeling we're going to be in _big_ trouble."

"You always have that feeling,"

"And when have I been wrong?"

April pretended to think about it, looking over a chart. "Well, there was that time when we were on the training course at the Academy-"

"Okay, that was _one_ time."

"Then there's the time when we were on that voyage to Kinapis with Mom and dad-" she was now observing a map.

"Alright, you've made your point-"

"And then there was that one time at our school dance-" she studied a compass.

"OKAY, I GET IT!"

April giggled. "See? You're getting worked up over nothing. Again."

"But I'm really serious this time, April! Ever since we took off, I keep having this feeling that something's going to go wrong."

"Oh, you're just overreacting. There's no need to worry,"

"I hope you're right, April." Eric sighed. "I really do."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The _SLR DESTINY_ arrived at a port on the planet Hinia. Lucinda and April walked along the booths that lined the dock while the rest of the crew loaded fresh water and extra supplies on board.

Most of the booths included namely various kinds of space-fish- some purple, some with two heads, some with eight eyes, etc.- or fruits and vegetables. No one was selling jewelry or fabrics.

"Not much to offer, huh?" Lucinda asked her friend.

"Well, Hinia is the 7th smallest planet in the galaxy, so the people here don't really sell much." April replied with a shrug. "Most small home-planets don't." she patted her friend on the back. "Don't worry, we'll be making more stops at bigger ports. You'll see. ...Maybe we'll even find one with a salon."

Lucinda rolled her eyes. "You know I don't do ssssalonss. Besides, I don't need a make-over. I'm contempt with my looksss, thank you very much."

"I didn't mean for you. I meant for me!"

Lucinda sighed and put an arm around April's shoulders. "April, believe me, you need a make-over assss much as Jonessssy needss liposssuction. Besssides, being on a ssship, it wouldn't lassst long anyway."

"Only if you're sailing without the proper cosmetics." April whipped out a case, opening it to show it was full of make-up, hair-brushes, and other beauty products.

"Why am I hanging out with you, again?"

"Because we're best friends, and you said you preferred my feminine companionship."

"I didn't ssssay 'feminine'!"

April giggled. "Well, it's my type of companionship."

"Letsss just drop the girly-talk, okay?"

April shrugged. "Sure." And they walked back to the ship.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The next three weeks went by slowly, boredom sweeping over Tesoro and Jonesy when Tyson wasn't putting them to work. Today, they were sitting around with Valerie, who had her bandana pulled over her eyes, making it look as if she were asleep.

"What's the date?" Tesoro asked, her voice a sigh.

"The 14th of June." Jonesy replied, rubbing his finger around in a circle on the floorboard.

"HB, Tess." Valerie said, grinning.

Jonesy arched an eyebrow. "What did she say?"

"HB. ...It's my birthday." Tesoro said, her eyes widening a little from realization.

Jonesy sat up straight. "Really?" he laughed. "Well, son of a gun-"

Tyson walked up to them then, Morph on his shoulder (nibbling on a cracker), and crossed his arms. "A tad bored, are we?" he asked.

Tesoro and Jonesy nodded.

"Well, looks like we'll have tah fix that. Come with me."

"Oh, great. More work." Jonesy muttered, quietly.

Tyson turned to Jonesy, sharply. "You say somet'ing?"

"Uh, no! No, I didn't."

"Dat's what I t'ought. C'mon, I have a bit o' a surprise fer ya."

Valerie peeked out from her bandana, smiling. It was obvious Tyson overheard them. "Revlis, you're such a softie." she said to herself, then pulled her bandana back over her eyes to resume her 'nap'.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Tyson led Tesoro and Jonesy down to the longboats, then opened the hatch and began untying one end of the longboat. "Hey, don't expect me tah untie this t'ing by me-self."

Jonesy and Tesoro looked at each other and shrugged, then did as they were told. Tyson climbed into the lifeboat, hovering downward. He looked back at the two.

"Well, don't just stand t'ere!" he called, waving them forward. "Get down here!"

"You mean...?" Tesoro asked with glee.

"Well, ya don't see anyone else offerin' deh two of ya a ride, do ya?"

"WOO-HOO!" Jonesy exclaimed, jumping down into the longboat without hesitation.

Tesoro looked at Morph and grinned. "Think you can handle staying out of trouble?" she asked.

Morph chattered and nudged her to go, nodding. After all, it wasn't the first time he was told to wait while someone he liked went for a joyride. Tesoro nodded back to him and jumped down into the boat.

"Either of ya pups want tah drive, first?" Tyson asked.

"Not after the last time, Ty." Jonesy scoffed. "You know how bad I am with directions."

"Aw, you needn't worry, Jonesy. I'm sure Tessy's compass will point us back tah deh ship. Right, Tessy?"

Tesoro looked at her compass... which was pointing to the steering handle on the longboat. "Maybe..." she replied.

"Why don't you drive first, Tess?" Jonesy offered. "Just so we don't get lost."

Tesoro couldn't pass it up. "Sure! ...But, I don't know how."

"I'll help ya out." Tyson said, patting the seat next to him. Tesoro sat down as he showed her the controls. "Okay, t'is is deh acceleration, next tah dat is deh break..."

"You had me at acceleration." Tesoro pushed a couple buttons, took a firm grip on the handle, and they shot off.

"Whoa! Tess! Whoa!" Jonesy yelled, flying backwards.

Tesoro slowed down. "Sorry."

"Are you kidding?" Jonesy laughed. "Do that again!"

Tesoro looked at Tyson. "Hey, go ahead." he said, smiling. "After all, it's your birthday."

Tesoro smiled, and they shot off again. She pulled up, making the boat do a few loops, then pulled it so they did a few barrel rolls. Tyson and Jonesy laughed with enjoyment, impressed with the young girl's stunts (though, they still hung on for dear life).

"Hold it!" Jonesy suddenly cried, and Tesoro hit the break (too suddenly), and Jonesy flew forward.

"What is it?" Tyson asked.

"Check it out!" Jonesy got up and pointed ahead. What he found made Tesoro's face light up.

"Space whales!" Tesoro exclaimed.

Jonesy turned to Tyson. "Could we...?"

Tyson smiled and sighed. "Aw, what deh heck." he said. "Here, Tess, let me take over the controls."

Tesoro obeyed, and Tyson slowly hovered the longboat a couple feet above a space whale. Once they were over it, Jonesy slid off his shoes and stepped onto the creature's rubbery back, then sat down. "C'mon, Tess!" he called up.

Tesoro gasped with excitement, kicking off her shoes and climbing over the edge of the longboat. Jonesy took her by the hand and helped her down.

"Uh, before you go, Tessy," Tyson said, holding out his hand. "Would you like me tah on-tah your compass, so ya don't lose it?"

"Oh, sure." Tesoro took the compass from around her neck and handed it to him. "Thanks Tyson."

"Ready?" Jonesy asked, and she nodded. Tapping his foot on the whale, he let out a clicking sound, as if he were riding a horse.

The whale moaned and began to hover away, diving away from the longboat, making the two teens whoop.

Tyson followed behind, smiling. "Happy birthday, Jonesy." he said to himself, then looked at his compass. "And happy birthday, Tesoro."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: I would like to say at this point that it would be REALLY cool to ride a space whale. Please R/R, but no flames... unless you... (aw, crud! I ran out of smart remarks!)

Speaking of which, if any of you guys have some ideas on what I could put in, I'm open to offers.


	21. Chapter 21: Shock

Well, writer's block had struck again, but luckily I was able to get a new chapter up and going! Kudos to Kristen for inspiring an idea for me :)

Disclaimer: You know how it goes... sigh.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Jonesy and Tesoro lied flat on their backs on the back of the space whale as it 'swam' through the starry, open space of the galaxy. Tyson stayed right behind them, in case the large creature acted up. The sky was getting darker, and to their disappointment, Tyson called to them that they had to get back, tossing them a rope and helping them climb back into the lifeboat.

The space whale let out a moan, and Jonesy moaned back. Tesoro looked at him, curiously. "Just saying 'thank you'." he said, shrugging. Tyson smiled and rolled his eyes while Tesoro giggled. "What, you guys don't speak whale?"

They got back to the ship and headed for the galley. "Jonesy, you're on 'mop duty'." Tyson told him, tossing a mop into his hands.

"Aw, c'mon, Ty! It's dark out!"

"Unless we're pulled in-tah a black hole, it's still light enough tah get some work done. Now, get to it, or ya'll be workin' 'til dawn."

Jonesy gave him a mock salute. "Aye, Captain." Then he walked back up the stairs.

"What nightly job do you have for me?" Tesoro asked, teasingly.

"There's some dishes dat need washin'. Get those outta deh way, t'en you can get tah work." Tyson laughed.

Tesoro rolled her eyes and walked over to the sink, where a stack of dishes, pots, pans, and mugs awaited her. "If I was going to be doing dishes, I should have stayed at grandma's." She grabbed a sponge and began washing.

A couple minutes went by in silence, with only the sound of Tesoro's scrubbing and Tyson's chopping of vegetables. She found it would be a good opportunity to bring up the possibility of Jonesy being Tyson's brother, but she kept it to herself. _Jonesy can talk to him about it himself. It's not my business to intrude on such matters. _she thought.

"Jonesy's a pretty fun guy," she said, breaking the silence at last.

"Tell me about it," Tyson said, chuckling. "Ya know, deh two of ya have a lot in common. Ya both like space whales, ya both come in handy when it comes tah working- sometimes- and ya both can hold ya hot sauce pretty well."

"Hey, the two of you have a lot in common, too,"

"Is dat so?"

"Of course. You both joke around about the same people, you both are excellent cooks, and both of you have..." she stopped herself, catching herself before bringing up the whole 'brother' talk.

"We both have...?"

"...big hearts." It was lame, and she felt herself blushing, but it was the best she could come up with, and it was also the truth. "You both have been really nice to me."

Tyson chuckled. "I t'ink Jonesy's deh nicest outta deh both of us." he looked around, making sure the area was clear. "In fact, methinks he likes ya."

Tesoro laughed. "I figured that out a while back."

"And...?"

"And... what?"

"Do ya like him back?" Tyson nudged her playfully, winking.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous!" Tesoro pushed him away. "Don't get me wrong, he's really nice, but..."

"But what?" Tyson was serious now. "He's a great cook, he's deh nicest guy ya could ever meet, he's got a great sense of humor-"

"There's just someone else." It came out quickly, and Tesoro turned away, resuming scrubbing dishes.

"Ah... A boy back home, I take it?" Though, deep down, he knew that wasn't it.

Tesoro shrugged, but stayed silent. Tyson nodded and went back to cooking dinner. She looked over at him, then sighed. _I wish I could tell him without sounding like an idiot. _she thought.

_Another boy... Could it be me? _Tyson asked himself. _Nah, it couldn't be... Then again, that one night... And Morph did say... Blast it, why do I care about such a thing?_

_Because you care about her. _Another thought came to his mind, and he sighed, bitterly.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Jonesy was standing in the middle of the stairs, on his way to ask Tyson for soap, when he heard the conversation he and Tesoro had...

_"I t'ink Jonesy's deh nicest outta deh both of us."_ Tyson had said, and he looked around, making Jonesy lean against the wall out of his sight. _"In fact, methinks he likes ya."_

He heard Tesoro laugh- he loved hearing her laugh- but it sounded more of a mock this time. _"Oh, don't be ridiculous!" _he heard her say. _"Don't get me wrong, he's really nice, but..."_

_"But what? He's a great cook, he's deh nicest guy ya could ever meet, he's got a great sense of humor-"_

_"There's just someone else."_

_Do you ever want to be someone else?_

_Are you sick of feeling so left out?_

_'Someone else'? _Jonesy thought, jaw dropping with shock. His mind was full of confusion. _But... she never said she had a boyfriend... she couldn't, otherwise, she would've said something that night... when I kissed her..._

He had missed the rest of the conversation, lost in his thoughts, so he peeked around the corner. He noticed how Tesoro had looked over at Tyson, how her eyes shimmered, how her expression read longing, how...

_Are you desperate to find something more_

_Before your life is over?_

...How obvious it was that she liked Tyson! It was obvious, he knew, ever since he overheard them that one night, how Morph had mentioned that Tyson liked Tesoro... _Man, how could I have been so stupid?_

He shot a glare at Tyson, a glare wild with dark, 'colorful' emotions, then walked back onto the main deck, forgetting about his job. He climbed up the shrouds, sat on a high mast, overlooking the stars, his heart raging with a feeling of jealousy and hurt.

_Are you stuck in a world you hate?_

_Are you sick of everyone around?_

Morph had spotted him and chattered questionably, turning into a question mark. "None of your business!" Jonesy snapped at him.

_With the big fake smiles and stupid lies_

_While deep inside you're bleeding_

Morph, hurt, whimpered and floated away, leaving the boy alone. He shivered, noticing a familiar anger in his eyes, an anger he had seen once before, which still scared him to this day...

0o0o0o0o0o0

It had been weeks since Natalie had gathered her crew and found a ship and set off Southwest with Amelia and Delbert, but worry overcame her when they found no trace of the _DESTINY_.

"What if they took the wrong route?" Natalie asked, full of anxiety. "What if they'd gotten lost? What if someone hi-jacked their boat? What if they're on Xenta now, stuck? ...What if they're dead? Or worse? What if-"

"Natalie, get a hold of yourself!" Amelia snapped, smacking Natalie in the face. "I apologize, but you're beginning to overreact... and annoy me!"

"How can you be so calm? All of your kids are on that boat, heading toward a deadly planet, and you're just standing around as if everything was fine!"

Amelia grabbed Natalie's shoulders, glowering. "Listen to me, Ms. Hawkins, I am worried _sick_ right now on what could be happening to my darlings right now, but in order for us to find them, I must keep myself together, and I expect you to do the same- for Jim's sake, especially."

Natalie sighed, looking over the edge of the ship. "I-I'm sorry... I'm not as strong as I used to be..."

Delbert lied a hand on her shoulder. "No... you're stronger. You've decided to join us on this risk-taking search, after all. Just because you're overly concerned doesn't mean you're weak. Just look at me, I'm about ready to purge with anxiety, but I'm still traversing on this voyage, even though I might... not survive... the hostilities of... Xenta..." he began to pale.

"Thank you, dear, I think you've made your point," Amelia said, pushing her husband into his quarters. "Why don't you lie down for a bit?"

Natalie looked up at the stars, sighing. "Oh, Jim... If only you were still here... then we wouldn't be in this mess!" she said.

0o0o0o0o0o0

_Meanwhile..._

Everything was silent on the ominous, jungle planet. A pair of robotic eyes peeked over the side of a large, dead tree, then shrank back down. "Coast is clear, Captain Jimmy, Sir." BEN whispered.

_No you don't know what it's like_

"Good," Jim whispered. He looked back over at his other two companions, cringing at the sight of them: Two of Gene's arms were in bandages from being singed by laser blasts, and Louigi's legs were both twisted at odd angles, obviously broken.

_When nothing feels alright_

Gene was trying to straighten his friend's legs out. "Ooh! Ow! Augh!" Louigi cried, though he was biting on a piece of tree bark to muffle his screams, so it came out as, "Hoo! Haw! Hah!"

"It's okay, buddy," Gene coaxed him in a soothing voice. "Just a few more inches..."

"HAAUGH!"

"There. ...Now, time for the next leg."

_You don't know what it's like_

_To be like me_

"BEN, you stay here with Gene and Louigi," Jim whispered. "I'm going out..."

"You can't!" BEN gasped, louder than he planned to. "You might get... well, killed, of course, looking on the downside of it..."

_To be hurt, to feel lost_

_To be left out in the dark_

"Shh! I'm just going to rush back to the ship and search for supplies." Jim hissed, covering BEN's mouth.

"But, Jimmy, it's clear over there!" BEN pointed to their dismantled ship, which was 200 feet away from them. "What if someone-"

"I'll be back." Jim looked over the tree trunk, then climbed over it, silently running over to the ship. _Almost there... _he told himself as he got closer, urging his legs to move faster.

_To be kicked when you're down_

_To feel like you've been pushed around_

"Yah!" A man with a thick, gray beard and thin but well-built body leaped out from a tree and tackled Jim, just before he reached the boat. He pinned him to the ground, holding a knife to his throat. "You thought you outsmarted me, but you didn't, you-" he paused, studying Jim more closely. He got up from him and rubbed his eyes, then looked again. "I don't believe it... James?"

_To be on the edge of breaking down with no one there to save you_

Jim tackled the old man back, pinning him this time. "Who are you? How do you know my name?" he demanded.

_No you don't know what it's like..._

"I'm... Anthony Hawkins." The old man replied, his eyes glimmering. "Your father."

_Welcome to my life_

0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: Hark, do I hear jaws dropping? Bet you weren't expecting that, were you? ...Uh, were you?

Kristen: Once again, thank you for the idea! It's added to the intensity of the story, please let me know if you have any more! (Plus, could you give me the link to your story?)

OMGitsEMILY and Anon: I dare say, things are starting to get edgy, aren't they? ;)

Keep the reviews coming, guys! ...But, I'm begging you, no flames!


	22. Chapter 22: Tensions Run High

And once again, the reviews struck inspiration, and I couldn't resist writing!

**Reviewer Thanks:**

OMGitsEMILY: *whacks suspense with a heavy stick* Problem taken care of. Happy?

Anon: The single-word reviewer, thanks.

Nim: (mind if I call you Nim?) Thanks again for the idea!

Kristen: Thanks for your ideas, too. Otherwise, writer's block would have killed the story.

And now, for this... Disclaimer: I don't own Treasure Planet, blah blah blah

And... ON WITH THE STORY!

0o0o0o0o0o0

The next morning came slowly for everyone. Tyson had been up late, looking for Jonesy. "Where did dat boy run off tah?" he had asked himself the other night as he searched when he realized Jonesy hadn't come back to the galley, or done his work.

Tesoro had turned in that night, her emotions wiled up. _Does Jonesy really like me?_ she had thought._ I mean, sure, he kissed me, but that was just a friendly gesture... wasn't it? _When morning came, she grabbed a mop and got to work, finishing the job Jonesy had abandoned.

Jonesy had been sitting down in the cargo storage, on top of some crates. Morph, though hurt from Jonesy's outburst last night, decided to stick by him, for support. "I just don't get it, Morph," Jonesy sighed, startling the little blob a bit from lack of speaking for so long. "I mean, I like Tyson, but why did he have to like Tesoro the same way I do?"

"Huh?" Morph said, turning into a question mark again.

Jonesy rolled his eyes. "Oh, don't play dumb, Morph. You're the one who pointed it out, remember? Turning into a little heart and all that?" Morph whimpered, shifting into a broken heart. "Yeah... I know that feeling."

"Jonesy, that you?" A voice said. Jonesy looked down and saw Tesoro, who had come down, possibly on an errand for Tyson.

"Who were you expecting, Hector Barbossa?" Jonesy sneered at her.

"Tyson's looking for you..."

"Whatever. Tell him I'm on break."

Tesoro shifted uncomfortably. "He's not going to like that..."

Jonesy jumped down from the crate and glowered darkly at Tesoro, his eyes ablaze with fury. "If you care about what he likes so much, why don't you do all the work for him?" His voice was loud and harsh, making Tesoro step back in shock.

"Uh, oh," Morph gasped, then (changing into a mini rocket) flew up the stairs, knowing things were gonna get ugly.

"Sheesh, what's your problem?"

"Oh, nothing! My possible 'brother' is just crushing on a girl that _he_ knows_ I _like a lot and just blabbed about how I feel about her last night, so I'm just purple and _dandy_!"

_Nobody lied straight to your face_

"You... were eavesdropping on us again?" Tesoro questioned.

"A dim bulb brightens." Jonesy rolled his eyes, letting out a scoff.

_And nobody ever stabbed you in the back_

Tesoro glowered at him. His vicious attitude was a shock to her at first, but now... now it was getting contagious. "And another bulb shorted out," She sneered as she approached him, standing on her toes to get up in his face. "You know, just because I have a crush on your 'brother' doesn't mean you have to be a moron and get jealous about it!"

_You might think I'm happy but I'm not going to be okay..._

Jonesy towered over her. "I'm. Not. ...You're just too dumb to notice when another guy likes you!"

"I think you've been chugging too much hot-sauce, because you can't take a hint when a girl you like already likes someone else... who doesn't have an 'emosplosion' just because he doesn't get what he wants!"

Jonesy clenched his teeth. Anger was boiling in his blood and- without thinking- grabbed Tesoro and threw her to the ground. "You don't know Tyson, Hawkins. Not like I do. He may seem caring, but deep down, he's nothing but a loathsome, conning, two-timing jerk, who doesn't even like you!"

"He's also standin' right in front o' ya." A voice said from the bottom of the stairs. There stood Tyson, eyes glowing red.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Tyson had been in the galley, preparing breakfast, when Morph had rushed down, chattering frantically. "What is it, Morph? he asked.

Morph turned into a mini Jonesy yelling at a mini Tesoro, only his face was all red. He transformed back to normal, whimpering.

Tyson stopped what he was doing, his expression hard. "Where are they?"

Morph motioned him to follow, leading him to the cargo storage, just in time to see Jonesy throw Tesoro to the floor. "You don't know Tyson, Hawkins." Jonesy said, harshly. "Not like I do. He may seem caring, but deep down, he's nothing but a loathsome, conning, two-timing jerk, who doesn't even like you!"

"He's also standin' right in front o' ya." Tyson said coldly. Tesoro turned, surprised at his sudden appearance, while Jonesy just glared. "Care tah explain why you're puttin' Tessy through grief an' not workin'?"

_Everybody have you what you wanted_

"Is working the only thing I'm good for?" Jonesy questioned, scowling.

_You never had to work it was always there_

"Up until I find a girl I want ya tah harm." Tyson looked at Tesoro, his eyes dimming to orange. "You okay, Tessy?"

Tesoro nodded, standing up. Jonesy rolled his eyes. "Sure, he cares about the _girl_, not his best friend." he muttered quietly to himself.

"Care tah repeat that, Jonesy?"

"So you just care about what I have to_ say_, is that it? As long as I'm still speaking, you have nothing to worry about, right? Otherwise, you focus your feelings on girls!"

Tyson's eyes grew red again. "Don't mark me. I'd suggest yah get your act straight-"

"No, _you_ get your act straight!" Jonesy stormed up to Tyson. "Why don't you keep out of my business on who I like, find your _own_ girl, and-"

"Me own girl? What deh blue blazes are ya talkin' about, Jonesy?"

"Me!" Tesoro said harshly, stepping between the two boys. "He's overreacting just because- because- _because I like you more than him_!" Her face was red, but she couldn't tell whether it was from embarrassment or blushing. She turned sharply to Jonesy. "So there! Now, stop acting like a jerk to your brother and- and- grr!" She ran up the stairs in blind fury.

_You don't know what it's like_

_(what it's like...)_

Tyson and Jonesy watched her go, a bit shocked at her outburst. "Did she... did she call me your... brother?" Tyson asked.

Jonesy breathed in, then exhaled deeply. "Yeah... it's a long story." he replied, leaning against one of the crates and slumping down.

Tyson sat next to him. "I'm listening."

Jonesy glared at him, but seeing that his eyes weren't red anymore, he put aside his anger toward him, then began telling him the story about their separation...

0o0o0o0o0o0

Tesoro rushed into her cabin, collapsing on her hammock, burying her face into her pillow and bawling. Lucinda, who was reading in her own hammock, glanced up in concern. "What'sss eating you?" she asked.

"I don't. Want. To talk about it." Tesoro replied, harshly, though with her face buried in the pillow, it sounded like, "I hon'. Hahn. Hoo halk ahow ih."

"Well, I'm not going to ssit around and hear you sssob, and I don't want to be the one to leave, sso sspill it."

Tesoro sighed and turned to her. "It's Tyson and Jonesy. They-"

"Hold it there," Lucinda raised her claw, having the young girl pause, then got up and left. Tesoro arched an eyebrow as she left, wondering where she went off to. The Manticore returned with April a second later. "You handle it. I'm not good with boy problemsss."

"What is it, Tesoro?" April asked, her eyes filled with concern.

Tesoro sighed heavily, happy that Lucinda fetched someone she was more comfortable talking to. She told the felinid everything- about how she liked Tyson, and Jonesy liked her, and their fight. She curled her knees up to her chest, hugging her pillow. "I don't know what to do," she said, tears falling from her eyes. "It's as if I screwed up everything just by being here." She touched the scar on her cheek, then looked up at Lucinda, her eyes saying, _You were right._

April glared at Lucinda (Valerie had told her about the scuffle she had with Tesoro) then looked back at Tesoro, laying a hand on her shoulder. "Don't blame yourself, Tess."

"Yeah, it'ss not your fault thossse two are naturally sssstupid." Lucinda put in. April shot her a look. "Uh, what I mean to sssay iss, Tyssson and Jonessy jussst don't know how to think clearly around girlsss... If they think clearly at all..."

"Thank you, Lucinda!" April pushed her friend out the door. "Why don't you go find Gregory or something, hmm?"

"Whatever." Lucinda shrugged and walked off, each of her legs clicking with each step.

April turned back to Tesoro. "Look, Tess, maybe you should stop hanging around them for a while, just until things cool down. You could spend a little 'girl time' on the ship with me."

"I would... except I want to be alone right now. Plus, I'm forced to be with them. I'm a cabin girl, remember?"

April put her hands on her hips, then grabbed Tesoro's wrist and pulled her up out of the hammock. "We can fix that. C'mon!"

0o0o0o0o0o0

When Jonesy finished, Tyson just sat there, in stunned silence. "I didn't want to tell you at first, because..." Jonesy sighed. "I didn't want to get your hopes up... I thought you wouldn't believe me."

_To be hurt, to feel lost_

_To be left out in the dark_

Tyson said nothing, staring at Jonesy blankly. Morph floated in front of them, tense... He waited for Tyson to say something, anything!

"I see…" Tyson said, and that's the only thing he could say.

_To be kicked, when you're down_

_To feel like you've been pushed around_

"Well… what do you think, then?" Jonesy asked, a bit irritated. "Our stories match up perfectly, and you remind me a lot of my brother…"

"An' you remind me of me brother, too, Jones… but I've been deceived before," Tyson sighed.

Jonesy sighed, knowing this was coming up. "That makes two of us, then… If only we knew it for sure…"

Tyson rubbed his chin, then reached into his pocket, pulling out Tesoro's compass. "Perhaps there is…"

Jonesy arched an eyebrow. "Where'd you get that?"

"Durin' our boat ride, while you and Tessy were whale-riding, I decided tah hold on… tah it… for… Ah, blast it! We forgot about Tesoro! Poor lass must be heart-broken." He then headed up the stairs.

_To be on the edge of breaking down_

_With no one there to save you_

Jonesy scoffed, following his brother. "Why would she be? She's got a guy like you." he muttered.

"Yeah, but you're deh one who has tah apologize fer hurting her." he said, and gave Jonesy a harsh, red-eyed glare. "Which, if I may recommend, that ya don't do again,"

"Don't do again!" Morph repeated, giving Jonesy the same look.

Jonesy shook his head. "I just got a little deep-violet, that's all… And I didn't want to see her get her feelings crushed,"

"What're ya sayin'? Yer deh one who pushed her tah deh ground!"

Jonesly clenched his fists. "You don't like her… not her family, that is. You've had a grudge against all Hawkins ever since you were a kid, and I don't want you to take your anger out on Tesoro!"

Morph looked at the two brothers, clueless on what the cabin-boy was talking about, and growing nervous at the tension between them.

_No you don't know what it's like..._

Tyson looked at his brother, then let out a heavy sigh. "Aye, I still have me grudges, but Tesoro ain't in me line o' fire anymore." he said. "I like her, an' I care about her... but not exactly deh way _you_ do, Jonesy. I love her, but I'm not _in_ love with her... But we'll save dat fer later. Right now, t'ere's some apologizing dat has tah be done."

Jonesy stared at his brother, still irritated, but let out a sigh. "Right," he mumbled.

Morph snapped out of his shock and began following the boys, wondering why... If Tyson cared so much about Tesoro... why he wasn't 'in love' with her. He sighed, realizing he was wrong about the two of them.

_Sorry, Tessy. _Tyson thought to himself as they rushed on deck. _There's just... someone else I like a lot, too._

They saw Tesoro walking out of Elizabeth's quarters with April and Valerie. The black-haired felinid had an arm around her, smiling and lightly punching her in the arm. Before Jonesy and Tyson could reach her, Gregory- who was up in the crow's nest- shouted something they've been waiting to hear for weeks:

"Planet Ho!"

_Welcome to my life_

0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: Yeah... I dunno if I included enough angst in this chapter. What do you guys think?

R/R and... *catches fire* Augh! Ow! Ow! Ow! *stops, drops, and rolls* Alright, who sent the flames?


	23. Chapter 23: Planet Holy Smokes!

*A mob stands outside with pitchforks and torches, tossing rocks at a house. A window breaks*

Me: (sticks head out broken window) ALRIGHT, ALREADY! I'M WRITING! I'M WRITING!

_**Reviewer thanks**_

Anon: Yeah. Whoa… just wait 'til you see _this_ chapter!

Kristen/SweetAngel183: Don't worry, Natalie will be getting her share of action.

OMGitsEMILY: Glad suspense hasn't killed you. Here you go!

Nims: Yeah, I couldn't come up with a very good explanation in this chapter, but maybe I will for the next one. Thanks again for the ideas!

Azriel: Heh, there's a gas station called 'Tesoro'? Weird…

And now, for this…

Disclaimer: Treasure Planet belongs to Disney, no one else! (picks up sharp fork, menacingly) Do we understand each other?

0o0o0o0o0o0

_Men fell overboard, as if they were yanked off the boat by invisible hands, being pulled to the menacing planet. Valerie stood among them, hanging on to the mast as if her life depended on it… which, of course, it did._

_The men's screams echoed through the Etherium as they were sucked out into space, their lifelines snapping from too much tension. "So many lives…" Valerie said, wincing as one sailor after another fell overboard. She reached out to grab one who flew out of the crow's nest and down past her, but the suction took him out of reach before he could even look her way._

"_Captain! What're we going to do?" A surviving sailor called up to a man with a thick, black beard and piercing yellow eyes, wearing a long, red pirate-coat rimmed with gold trimmings._

"_Increase the thrust! Set it to Hyper- no,- Ludicrous Speed!" The captain shouted._

"_Are ya crazy?" A familiar-sounding voice shouted. Valerie turned to see a middle-aged hybrid, with a mechanical arm, leg, and eye. She knew from her mother's old 'Wanted' posters that it was that cyborg, Long John Silver. "If ya put deh engines in-tah Ludicrous, you'll kill us all!"_

"_Then we'll die with the ship!" _

_Silver grabbed the helm, "We've gotta slow it down! It's deh only way we'll sur-"_

_The black-bearded captain shoved him out of the way, grabbing the helm. "Nonsense!" he yelled into the communication pipe, "Full Speed!"_

_Valerie fell off the mast from the ship's sudden thrust, but surprisingly, by a miracle, she landed on the deck rather than sucked to her doom. She fell by Silver, who sat up against the edge of the ship, watching as the jungled surface of Xenta came nearer. "I shouldn't have left," he said, wincing. He took out a locket, opening it to show a holographic image of two small boys, one with dark hair and the other with reddish-brown hair. "I'm sorry, boys."_

"_Your accent… why is it so familiar?" Valerie asked, but didn't get an answer, for something below deck exploded._

"_Captain! One of our engines-" A sailor began to yell, but was sucked overboard. "AUGH!"_

_Xenta came in faster, and the last thing Valerie saw was Silver's sad expression, looking at his two sons._

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Whoa!" Valerie shot up in bed. It was the third time she had an ominous dream, and she began to wonder why she had them. The thought about the first one she had, where someone had stolen a longboat- obviously Tyson- and ran away. Then she had one about Jim Hawkins arriving at Xenta, and now this one about John Silver… "What could they mean?"

There was a knock at the door, and April stepped in with Tesoro. "Hey, we need your help." April said.

Valerie slipped out of bed, pulling on her boots and bandana. "What is it?"

"We need your vouch,"

"For what?" Tesoro stepped up to the felinid, and told her, making her grin. "Well, it's about time! Lets go!" And they ran out of her room into Elizabeth's office.

That was an hour ago.

Now, Valerie stood with the crew in a line as Elizabeth gave a speech about a small group of them climbing into a longboat and scouting toward Xenta. The planet was still quite a distance away, but still in eyesight, but no one wanted to risk getting closer.

"…The planet's gravitational pull is strong, and will suck you in within milliseconds…" Elizabeth said.

_Blah, blah, blah, _Valerie thought. _We know what Xenta can do… _She then shuddered, remembering her dream.

"…And so it is important to tie yourself down tight…"

_We'll need chains to prevent being sucked out of the boat. _Valerie sighed sadly, thinking of all the men that were yanked off the boat. She cringed at the thought, but shook her head. _Stay strong, Val. You can't look weak in front of the crew._

Finally, Elizabeth said something Valerie had been wanting to hear. "So, any volunteers?" Of course, most of the crew members seemed a bit- well, yellow (in Jonesy's case) to travel toward the planet.

Valerie stepped forward. "I'll go."

Some of the crew members gasped, while others stared at the young felinid in disbelief, among them being her siblings. "Valerie, you can't-" Eric protested.

"Eric, believe me, I know how to get to Xenta without getting killed."

"Oh yeah? How?" Lucinda scoffed, stepping out of line to sneer at her.

Valerie sighed. "I've been having dreams about previous sailors who have reached Xenta, seeing what they did right to survive… and wrong to commit a suicidal landing."

"All landings on Xenta are suicidal." Gregory scoffed.

"Preposterous!" Elizabeth snapped. "What makes you think that, just because you had a dream, that you-"

"Listen to her." Tesoro interrupted, stepping out of line and standing next to Valerie. "If Valerie knows how to reach Xenta as safely as possible, then I say we hear her out."

"From dreaming! As we all know, dreams are the opposite of reality, therefore-"

"Not the dreams _I've _been having," Valerie snapped. "For the past month, I've had dreams about how Jim Hawkins arrived on Xenta,"

"And I've had one about him alive on the planet as well," Tesoro put in, putting aside her surprise that Valerie had dreamed about her dad's journey. "They're connected, obviously."

"Yes, but still-" Elizabeth began.

"Please, sister," Valerie said, her eyes wide with begging. "You have to trust me on this. I know in my heart that the dreams I've had are really messages, as if God himself has been telling me how to find those missing sailors. Please, you've got to let me."

Elizabeth sighed, knowing she wouldn't win… and that her sister was right. "Fine, then. Pick five others to join you… and choose wisely."

Valerie grinned, looking at the rest of the crew. "I'll need Gregory's strength," Gregory stepped up, wide-eyed with surprise (and nervousness). "And Lucinda is one of our best fighters, so we'll need her as well," Lucinda rolled her eyes and stepped forward, though she was flattered.

"So far, so good," Eric whispered with relief.

"Lets hope it stays that way," Elizabeth whispered back.

Valerie looked among the rest of the crew. Many were strong, well-experienced sailors… but she didn't care much about them. _Elizabeth will need their support, anyway. _She thought, remembering all the men who fell overboard… and remembered something else. "I'll need Tyson Revlis and Jonesy also."

Jonesy had been sipping a hot-sauce bottle he snuck out of the galley, but spewed it out after hearing his name. "Huh?" he gasped.

"Us?" Tyson asked, just as shocked as his brother.

"Unless there's another Tyson and another Jonesy who know more about traveling by longboats." Valerie said, pretending to look around, then turned back to Tyson. "Plus, you both know more about cooking than the rest of us, so we'll need someone to prepare something edible while we're searching."

"Huh?" Jonesy repeated, still shocked.

"Well, my dear sister, you sure know how to pick them," Elizabeth said.

"Ssshe sssure doesss." Lucinda whispered to Gregory, and the two chuckled at the joke.

Valerie rolled her eyes and ignored the two, then turned back to the crew. "And, for my final accomplice for this trip…" She said, looking amongst the strong sailors, smiling. "Tesoro Hawkins."

Everyone's jaws dropped, including Tesoro's. "_Huh?_" They all said, overcome with surprise.

"B-But, Valerie! You can't-" April stammered.

"Hey, she's cut out for it. She may not be strong, or too fast, but she can navigate us throughout the planet." Valerie looked back at Tesoro- still gawking- and winked. "After all, she's learned how to sail from… (ahem) some fine teachers. …You said so yourself April. Remember?"

April sighed. "Indeed I did." she walked over and laid a hand on Tesoro's shoulder. "And I meant it."

Tesoro snapped out of her shock and smiled. "Thank you," she said.

"Well, gentlemen- and ladies," Elizabeth said, stepping up to the chosen accomplices, clearing her throat. "Do you except your mission?"

Tyson, smiling, looked at Jonesy, who smiled back and looked at Tesoro, who gave a smirk in return, quickly turning away to Lucinda and Gregory, who shrugged. "Aye, aye!" they all replied, facing Elizabeth.

"Then prepare the longboats. You'll leave tomorrow."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Jim glowered at his father, Anthony, as they sat around the campfire with a few other men who had survived crashing on Xenta. Anthony had brought his son and his remaining crew- BEN, Gene, and Louigi- to his refuge, a small cave stocked with crates full of supplies and weapons. Jim, for the sake of his friends, accepted his father's hospitality, though he still loathed him for leaving him and his mother so many years ago.

…At least, that's what he thought. "I don't blame you for hating me, James," Anthony sighed. "But, you must understand, I meant to come back!"

"…Until you decided to come here," Jim muttered.

"I couldn't help it. It was an unexplored planet, and you know how I am-"

"No, I don't!" Jim stood up, anger flaming in his eyes. "I never knew you! You always took off and left us on our own! You were barely home a week, and gone for several months!" Tears began to form, but he blinked them away. "And when you were home, you never paid any attention to me, never cared about me, and barely spoke to me! You just… forgot I existed."

"Never cared about you?" Anthony stood up, enraged. "You listen to me, James Pleadies Hawkins! I cared more about you than I did anybody! You and your mother were the only things that motivated me to get through month after back-breaking month on each voyage, just to come home!"

Jim sneered. "You never showed it."

"I did show it… by coming back. Did you think I actually left you on purpose? Well, FYI, I didn't! I just thought this was a harmless planet, until it sucked me and my fellow crewmates onto its God-forsaken surface, leaving us stranded!" He sighed, sitting back down.

Jim did the same, looking away from his father. They sat by a fire, which burned brightly, lighting up the cave, showing Anthony's crewmates- a small group of thick-bearded men in tattered clothes, who looked as if they haven't eaten in days- and Jim's friends- Gene, who had bandages on his injured arms, Louigi, who had his broken legs bandaged as well, and BEN, who was being buffed by one of Anthony's crewmembers. _All this time, I thought… _Jim thought, mentally kicking himself.

"By the way, why are _you_ here?" Anthony asked him. "Smart as you are- Mr. 'I-built-a-solar-surfer-when-I-was-eight'- you should've known how dangerous this planet was."

Jim turned to his father, his anger turning to sorrow. "I came here to find a friend of mine." he replied.

"What kind of friend?"

"It's a long story."

Anthony stood up, walked over, and sat down by his son. "We may be here a while, so might as well tell us about it."

And so (for probably the hundredth time in his life) Jim told the story of how he met Billy Bones, unlocked the map to Treasure Planet, met Silver, found Flint's trove, how Silver saved his life, how they escaped the destruction of Treasure Planet, and how he let Silver go. "He helped me get back on the right course," Jim finished with a sigh.

Anthony sat there, dumbstruck that Jim had seen another man as a better father-figure. "Wow, I never expected something like _that_ from Silver."

Jim scoffed. "You act as if you know him,"

Anthony rubbed the back of his neck. "Actually, Jim, he's-"

"Great leaping bonzabeasts!" BEN shouted in surprise, looking toward the cave entrance. Gene and Louigi looked over and gawked, awestruck at the sight they saw.

Anthony turned and grinned weakly at the figure entering the cave. "Ah, Silver. We were just talking about you."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Tesoro and Lucinda spent the night stuffing their duffel bags with every possible item they would need, from knives to toiletries. It wasn't long before their bags began to bulge.

"You ready for tomorrow?" Tesoro asked Lucinda as they climbed into their hammocks.

"Of courssse I am!" Lucinda scoffed. "I was _born_ ready."

Tesoro leaned over and looked at her. "You're not… scared about being sucked to your doom at a mind-boggling speed?"

"Hey, Xenta'sss just a giant vaccuum in sssspace. It doessssn't sssseem like ssssuch a threat."

"Uh, huh. …So, why did you put a weight in the bottom of your bag?"

Lucinda sneered at her. "You can't be too careful, geniusss." She rolled over to get some sleep. "Now, go to sssleep. You'll need your energy if you're going to die tomorrow."

"Sweet dreams to you, too, Lucy." Tesoro lied down to sleep, thinking about how they would get to Xenta, and how she would naviga-

She then shot up, then felt her neck, and checked her pockets. She jumped down from her hammock, looking around the ground. "What're you doing?" Lucinda asked, rather annoyed.

"My compass! I've lost it!"

"Well, where did you have it lassst?"

"I don't know. All I remember is handing it to Tyson-" she paused, her eyes widening. "Tyson."

0o0o0o0o0o0

"Do it again! Do it again!" Jonesy pleaded Tyson. "Oh, man, that's so awesome!"

Tyson sighed, but smiled, then opened the compass. "Where's me brother?" he asked. The compass lit up blue, and the arrow pointed West, where Jonesy stood. "Well, dat settles it. You're me brother, all right."

"That… is… awesome!" Jonesy snatched up the compass. "It's just like the one Jack Sparrow had! …Only, more high tech. Where'd you get it?"

"I told ya, remember? Tessy had me hang on tah it while ya both-" He then paused, gasping. He snatched the compass out of Jonesy's hands. "Tessy! Oh, man, I forgot about her again! Blast it!"

"She probably wants her compass back, too. I'll take it to her." Jonesy took the compass. "I have to apologize to her, anyway. Be right back!"

Tyson started to protest, but Jonesy was already up the stairs. "Man, Jonesy, ya really know how tah get attached to dat girl." He chuckled, lying down in his hammock. "Yes, sir…"

0o0o0o0o0

Tesoro walked across the main deck to the "men's" quarters, just as Jonesy bounded up the stairs. "Oh, Tess, there you are." he said, smiling.

"Hey, Jonesy." Tesoro said, though she didn't pay much attention to him. "Is Tyson still awake?"

Jonesy tried to keep from frowning, fearing how Tesoro would feel once she went down there to talk to Tyson and finding out that he wasn't 'in love' with her. "Yeah, why?"

"He still has my compass." Tesoro put it bluntly, not wanting to let Jonesy think that she just wanted to see Tyson.

A wave of relief swept over Jonesy. "Well, that's why I came up here," he handed her the compass. "Tyson forgot he had it." It was a lie, he knew, since Tyson mentioned that they could use it to find out of they were really brothers. "He was going to bring it up to you himself but… you know, he's busy preparing for tomorrow."

Tesoro held the compass tightly, smiling. She put it back around her neck, opening it. It pointed toward Xenta- to her dad- just where she wanted to go.

"I… also wanted to apologize for earlier," Jonesy looked down at his feet, his smile gone. "You were right. I did overreact. I was… jealous."

Tesoro looked up at him. His brown eyes shimmered with guilt, and she could swear they were close to tears. "It's okay. I forgive you," she said, hoping it would ease the hurt he felt.

"It's not okay," Jonesy sighed heavily, grabbing his arm and turning away. "I lashed out at you for no reason, I blew up at Tyson- though, we're okay now, but still- and, for goodness sakes, I threw you on the ground! I hurt you, Tesoro, in more ways than one."

"Jonesy," Tesoro reached over, wrapping her hands gently around his arm. "It's not your fault. I was the one who made you act like that. I should've realized you liked… no, I _did_ realize you liked me, but I completely ignored it. I guess I'm a fool when it comes to crushes."

Jonesy shook his head. "Believe me, Tess, you're no fool. Otherwise, I wouldn't have fallen in love with you-" he clapped his hand over his mouth. _Good grief, did I actually say that? _he thought, shocked with himself.

Tesoro smiled up at him, then threw her arms around his waist and hugged him. "Thank you, Jonesy…" She let go of him.

Jonesy smiled down at her, then picked her up and hugged her back. "No, Tess, thank you. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have found my brother… Of course, I did, but you helped me realize-"

"Jonesy?"

"Yes?"

"I (gasp) can't breathe."

"Oh, sorry." Jonesy set her back down on the ground, then shrugged. "Sorry, I'm just a hugger."

Tesoro shrugged back. "Eh, so is my dad's navigator."

Jonesy looked out over at Xenta. "So, excited to find your dad?"

"You know it… Wait, what's that?" Tesoro and Jonesy looked over, seeing a large boat coming toward the _DESTINY_. "We'd better get Elizabeth."

They ran and got Elizabeth, dragging her and Eric onto the deck, pointing out the unidentified vessel. "Oh, crud…" Eric moaned, his shoulders sagging.

"What is it?" Jonesy asked, nervously. "It's not… _pirates_, is it?"

"No… it's worse." Elizabeth groaned. "It's…"

"Our parents!" Eric and Elizabeth said in unison.

"Hey, who's that with them?" Eric pointed to a young woman in a white blouse and brown pants, standing at the bow of the ship.

"My mom!" Tesoro shrieked, then dove behind a couple barrels. "If she asks, you've never seen me."

"You're going to need a better hiding place than that," Jonesy said, grabbing Tesoro's hand and pulling down to the storage pantry in the galley. "C'mon, I'll hide you."

Amelia's ship hovered side-by-side with the _DESTINY_, perfect enough so that Amelia was standing right in front of her daughter with a stern, angry look. "We. Are in _so_ much trouble." Eric said, nervously.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Amelia, Delbert, and Natalie stepped onto the _DESTINY_, meeting Elizabeth and Eric in their quarters. Once they thought it was safe enough, Jonesy and Tesoro stepped out of the storage pantry and up to Elizabeth's quarters, eavesdropping (what else?) on the conversation.

"I can't believe you would just run off like this, especially on such a dangerous mission!" Amelia snapped, though her voice was more hurt than angry. "Do you have any _idea_ what might have happened if you got closer to that planet?"

"We weren't going to take the whole ship there, mom." Elizabeth said, furious that her mother was trespassing in her mission. "We were just going to send a small group in a longboat out there on a quick search-"

"It's still ludicrous!" Delbert snapped. "Especially, with a small craft, the suction of the planet would have a stronger affect, and the speed would be deadly!"

"Actually, with smaller crafts, it's less dangerous, since the mass-" Eric began to explain, but seeing the glare from his dad made him shut his mouth.

"I demand you cease this voyage," Amelia said, sternly. "I cannot risk you letting any lives be put in danger…"

"Are you hearing this?" Tesoro whispered to Jonesy, who nodded. "C'mon, lets go find Tyson, Valerie, and the others." And they snuck away.

"…Where unknown dangers could be lurking about!" Amelia had finished.

"We're just trying to find the _MAELSTROM_, mother!" Elizabeth snapped, standing up furiously and slamming her hands on her desk. "We're doing something _you_ didn't have the guts to do!"

"Ooh, not good." Eric and Delbert both muttered, backing away.

"Um, I'm… going to see if my daughter's on the ship." Natalie said hastily, rushing out of the room.

Amelia glowered at her daughter. "How dare you!" She hissed. "Whether you like it or not, young lady, you had no authority to recruit in the search! You can't just get a boat, put on a hat, and just start sailing! There are other qualifications-"

"Qualifications are optional when it comes to helping someone." Elizabeth said, sharply. "Tesoro's father is on that planet- the same man who _risked his life _to save you and dad, _and_ who rescued Valerie from that Cortez criminal! I think it's time you paid him back."

"I will, once we get back-"

"It will be too late by then, mom! James Hawkins and his crew, as we speak, are somewhere on that blasted planet, struggling for survival! If we don't act now, we'll never be able to bring them back alive."

Delbert shook his head. "You don't know Jim, Elizabeth. He has gone through worst, believe me, but he was strong enough to overcome it. And I'm sure he can survive Xenta until we get back…"

Natalie had heard enough. (Apparently, eavesdropping runs in the family). It angered her that Amelia wanted to head back, even after she said they would find Jim! She never could stand a broken promise, especially this one. _I've already come too far. _she thought. _I'm not turning back now. _

0o0o0o0o0

"We're going to get in trouble!" Gregory muttered, keeping his nervous voice low.

"Oh, sssshut up and keep loading!" Lucinda hissed, snatching a duffel bag out of Gregory's arms and tossing it into the longboat.

"Leave it to my parents to blow the mission," Valerie scoffed, untying the longboat. "They always ruin the fun."

"At least ya _have_ parents," Tyson said as he opened the hatch. "Mine are dead." Valerie looked at him, stunned. He shrugged. "Me mum died of illness and me dad died in a fire, I'm guessing. 'Tis nothin'."

Valerie's jaw dropped. _His accent… It's just like Silver's! _she realized. "What… what was your dad's name?"

"Jonathan Revlis."

"Oh," _Darn, and I thought…_

"That's weird," Jonesy said. "I thought our dad's last name was-"

"Catch, Jonesy!" Tyson called, quickly grabbing a duffel bag and throwing it up to Jonesy, who caught it, but fell backward in the boat.

"Oof." Jonesy grunted.

Lucinda shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Boyssss…" she sighed, annoyed.

Tesoro wrapped a rope around the bags, securing them to the longboat, tightly. "Okay, I believe we're all set." she said.

"Got room for one more?" A voice said. Everyone turned around to see Natalie.

"Oh, crud!" Tesoro gasped, ducking behind Gregory. "I'm invisible, I'm invisible, I'm invisible…"

"Tess? Have you been getting enough oxygen?" Gregory asked, concerned about Tesoro's mantra, thinking she's gone crazy.

"Tess, I can see you." Natalie deadpanned, walking over to the longboat.

"Mrs. Hawkins, please," Valerie said, stepping in front of the woman. "I know we're in a lot of trouble, but it's really important that we find your husband…" She looked at Tyson and Jonesy out of the corner of her eye. "And whoever else is stranded on the planet."

"I know, Valerie. That's why I'm coming with you."

"Huh?" Tesoro exclaimed.

"I was about to say the same thing." Jonesy said to her.

"Hey, I want to find my husband and his crew as much as you all do. Besides, you'll need a fully experienced sailor to help you out."

"We _are_ experienced!" Lucinda muttered.

"Well, if you don't want my help, I suppose I could go back to Captain Amelia," she glanced at Valerie, giving her a sly smile. "Your mother…"

"Welcome aboard, Mrs. Hawkins!" Valerie said, enthusiastically, helping her into the lifeboat.

"Whoa, hold on!" Gregory said, scooting back in the boat. "There's not enough room for all of us!"

"Greygor's right, one of us will have tah stay behind." Tyson said, then added quickly, "Not me!"

"Where you go, I go, so I'm not staying, either." Jonesy said firmly to Tyson.

"I'm definitely not staying behind and letting you guys crash this thing!" Valerie said, climbing into the longboat.

"I'm not sssstaying." Lucinda scoffed.

Everyone looked at Tesoro. "No way am I going to sit _this_ journey out." she said sternly. "Especially if it includes both of my parents."

"Not staying!" A high-pitched voice exclaimed, and Morph flew up, sitting firmly on Tesoro's shoulder.

"I'll stay," Gregory said, climbing out of the longboat. He held Lucinda's claw. "Good luck, Lu."

Lucinda's eyes shimmered, and she caressed the gray alien's face. "Take care of April for me," she said. "Ssshe'll need comfort when ssshe findsss out what I'm doing."

Gregory held her claw in his hand, rubbing his thumb over the top of it. "Don't worry, I will."

Lucinda leaned over and kissed his forehead. "Thanksss."

Tyson, Jonesy, Tesoro, and Valerie's jaws dropped. Morph blinked several times, confused. Natalie, on the other hand, just shrugged. _How sweet. _the mother thought.

Lucinda turned back to them, sneering. "Well? Are we going to Xenta, or are you all going to keep gaping?"

Valerie cleared her throat. "Er, right. Tyson?" she said, turning to the hybrid boy.

"Uh, right." Tyson said, shaking his head out of surprise, then lowering the lifeboat out of the hatch. Setting it to "hyper drive" they soared toward Xenta.

"When we're within 30 knots, decrease the speed."

"Aye, Valerie."

Lucinda looked back at the _DESTINY_, her eyes almost watering, but she blinked away her tears. Natalie laid a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry." she said. "You'll see him again."

"I know I will," Lucinda scoffed, but her voice was full of hope. "Otherwise, I'd have no reason to go back." She turned away when the ship was too far to see, facing the direction toward Xenta, praying that she would be able to get back.

0o0o0o0o0

A/N: *hiding in bomb shelter* Okay, I'm sorry it took me so long, just don't hurt me! I must say, this is getting more tense by the minute! But, hey, suspense is good, right? *bombshell door flies open and mob enters* AUGH! I take it back! Suspense iw bad! I'll update soon! I'll- eep! *is carried off by the mob* -Alright, I'll get to it! (Help!)

Please R/R. No flames please, the torches are enough!


	24. Chapter 24: Xenta

Me: *tied to stake* Alright! Alright! Here's the next chapter! Please, let me go! I have a cat to feed!

Mob: Okay! *cuts rope*

Me: Augh! *falls face-first on the ground* Thanks…

_**Reviewer Thanks**_

Anon: Oh, it's just getting started ;)

OMGitsEMILY: Weren't expecting extra romance in the last chapter, were you?

Nims: Thank you SO much for the idea! (wish I thought of it)

And now, for THIS little ditty…

_Disclaimer: Blah blah blabbity blah, Treasure Planet is not mine, only the OC._

AAAAAaaaaaand… ACTION!

0o0o0o0o0

"I told you- I _told _you this was a bad idea!" Eric scolded Elizabeth once they were alone in their quarters. "I had a bad feeling, but did you listen? Noooo! 'It's just a _feeling_', you said! Now, we won't be able to save _anyone_!"

"We _will_ save someone- everyone!" Elizabeth snapped. "We've just got to negotiate with Mom and Dad to send out a search party _now_, while we have the chance."

"But she won't listen! She never listens! It's hopeless, I tell you-"

"We'll _make_ her listen! She raised us to take charge, right? Well, I say it's time we start taking charge! Not just for ourselves, or Tesoro, but for every space-traveler stranded on that planet!"

"But-"

"No 'buts' Eric! This is not the time for arguing. Either you're with me, or not!"

Eric sighed. "I'm with you. For the sake of the survivors on Xenta."

Elizabeth nodded. "Good. Now lets-"

There was a knock at the door. "Come in." Eric and Elizabeth said in unison.

Delbert walked in, his face full of concern. "Have either of you seen Mrs. Hawkins?" he asked.

Eric and Elizabeth shook their heads. "Not since she left earlier during our 'confrontation'." Eric said, trying to keep himself from glaring.

"Oh, dear… She's gone missing."

"What?" Elizabeth gasped.

"Are you sure?" Eric asked. "Maybe she's back on your ship-"

Delbert shook his head. "No, we've searched it. We've searched everywhere on both ships, and-"

April rushed in, out of breath, her eyes red from crying. "They're gone!" she cried.

"Who's gone now?" Elizabeth asked, sighing.

"Our search party! Tyson, Jonesy, Tesoro… (sniffle) Lucinda and Valerie…" April covered her face with her hands and wept, then looked back to her sister, her eyes full of tears. "E-Everyone except Gregory. H-H-He said… (sniff) he said their wasn't enough room in the boat."

"Valerie?" Delbert repeated, his voice full of worry and shock.

"What? But those longboats can carry six people at the least!" Eric said. "Why would Gregory-" he paused, then turned to his father. "You don't suppose…?"

Delbert's eyes widened, and he slapped his forehead. "If it's Natalie, then there's no doubt…"

"What's this about Natalie?" Amelia asked, stepping into the room. They told her, and her eyes widened. "Blast that woman! Can't she obey an order to stay put? We'll have to catch up to them and-"

"That wouldn't be wise, mother." Eric said. "With Xenta's gravitational pull, the bigger- and faster- the vessel traveling toward it is, the stronger the force is applied."

"What makes you think that, son?" Delbert asked, confused but intrigued by his son's calculations.

"I've done some research on Xenta," Eric pulled a planetary science book from a shelf, then turned to a chapter on Xenta. "It's force is strong, but it only applies just enough for certain crafts- a minimum force for small vessels, and a maximum force for larger vessels. Though, it isn't capable of pulling objects with large amounts of gravity- such as planets. Which, if you ask me, makes sense, especially since it has the Otiphus Moon in it's orbit…"

"Wait, you mean Xenta is able to control it's own gravitational pull? But, how?"

Eric read over the chapter, sighed, then closed the book. "It doesn't say. The person who was able to study Xenta's gravity without getting killed never set foot on it for further examination."

"How did they figure it out, then?" Elizabeth asked, questionably.

Eric shrugged. "Probably launched two boats of different sizes, I'm guessing."

"Well, it doesn't matter now, then." Amelia sighed. "We'll have to wait for their return."

"And what kind of talk is that?" Delbert said, firmly to his wife. "You're just going to sit here and do nothing? What happened to the daring, quick-witted, commanding woman I fell in love with? No, Amelia, we are not going to just sit here and do nothing! Especially when our friends are in danger! I say, we take action!"

"And do what?"

Delbert shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was… hoping you would come up with something."

Amelia thought about it, and stood, in a stoic-commanding sort-of-way. "Eric, Delbert, try to find out more about Xenta." She turned to April. "April, try to find a course with as less gravitational pull to the planet as possible. If Eric is correct, there may be one near Otiphus. Elizabeth," she turned to Elizabeth, a proud smirk appearing on her face. "Get your crew ready."

Elizabeth smiled and nodded. "Aye, Captain." she said.

"And Valerie-" Amelia paused, looking around the room. "Where's Valerie?"

Everyone looked at one another. "Heh heh, funny story, mom…" Eric said, chuckling nervously.

0o0o0o0o0

Jim didn't know what to think. He had lost many men, discovered that his father had been stranded on Xenta all these years, and now… now he found out his dream was correct.

Standing before him, in plain sight, solid and clear, was Long John Silver. He had grown a thick, gray beard, and his clothes were filthy, but it was him. "Anthony? What's going on?" he asked, his voice a bit gruffer than before. "I heard t'ere was another crash, and-" he paused, his gaze falling on Jim, who just stared back at him, speechless.

Anthony looked at the two, and smiled. He could sense that their bond was still strong. Oh, yes, he was jealous that Silver was a better father to Jim, but he pushed it aside. Silver had been helpful to him and his crew when they first met (after they had a fight when they tried to raid his ship, but that was in the past, now) and they had become good friends. And Silver had once told him about his trip to Treasure Planet, about meeting a lad who had a troubled past that he grew attached to… Anthony just never thought it was his own son. He knew the two of them needed to catch up. "Hey, boys," Anthony said to the others. "Lets say I give you a tour, huh?"

"But, we're tired." BEN said, yawning. "Can't we do it-" Gene nudged him, and Louigi nodded over to Jim and Silver (they understood). "Oh… Come to think of it, I could use the exercise!" They, along with Anthony's crew, followed the old man out of the cave, leaving Jim and Silver alone, staring at each other in disbelief.

_He's… he's actually alive… _Jim thought, bewildered. He had doubts that Silver wouldn't be alive, or even on the planet, but he knew in his heart that his doubts were wrong. He remembered what his daughter told him, about the dream being a message from his heart. _Tesoro was right._

_I don't believe it… _Silver thought, amazed. He rubbed his organic eye, and his cyborg eye zoomed in on Jim, checking to see if he was real. He had grown a thin, brown beard, and his hair was shorter (and the rat-tail was gone), and he was taller, but he still recognized him, from those blue eyes and that face that resembled Anthony's. _He's… he… I… _"Jim… Jimbo?" he said at last, after a long silence.

Jim didn't say anything. Instead, he stood up, and walked over to Silver, his eyes full of tears, and a smile on his face. "It is you…" he said.

There was silence for a moment until Silver wrapped his organic arm around Jim's back and the two friends hugged. Jim couldn't help but let the tears in his eyes fall. It had been so long, Silver knew now, after seeing Jim as a full grown man. They pulled out of their hug, but the cyborg kept his hands on his friend's shoulders.

"Good grief, Jimbo!" he exclaimed. "Why in deh universe did ya come tah t'is God-forsaken planet?"

"To… find you." Jim replied.

Silver stared at him, surprised. "How… how did ya know I was-"

"I just had a feeling." Jim shrugged. He didn't want to tell Silver that he just came here due to a dream, thinking the cyborg might would call him crazy or feel offended.

"Just a feeling, eh?" Silver eyed Jim, curiously. "You sure it wasn't… because of something else?"

"I just… thought you were in trouble."

Silver rubbed his chin (he wasn't buying it). "Is dat so?" He stared Jim straight in the eye. "And… how did ya get t'is 'feeling'?"

Before Jim could reply, one of Anthony's men- a young man that looked to be in his late 30's with shaggy blonde hair and a beard to match- ran up to the cave. "Silver! James! Come quick! You've got to see this!" he exclaimed, waving them over.

Silver and Jim looked at each other, shrugged, and followed the man to an old, rusted- but still reliable- telescope, where everyone else stood. "Whoa, where'd you guys get this?" Jim asked in awe.

"Harry assembled it." Anthony answered, patting the blonde-haired man on the back. "We found it two weeks after crashing on the planet, and he buffered it up and got it working."

Harry blushed. "Aw, shucks, it was nothing." he said, modestly.

"Jim? You might want to take a look at this." Louigi said as he peered into the telescope.

Jim looked through, amazed at how far the telescope could see, its vision reaching out as far as the ionosphere of the planet. Jim's jaw dropped at what he saw coming, and he stumbled back in surprise, almost falling over if Gene and another one of Anthony's men hadn't caught him. "What'd you see?" Gene asked.

Jim's eyes were wide, and his mouth trembled. "M-m-my- my daughter!" Jim stammered, shocked. "She… she…" he fainted.

The rest of Anthony's men, Gene, Louigi, and BEN (who was fanning Jim hastily with a leaf) tried to wake him up. Silver and Anthony just looked at each other, mouths agape with surprise.

"Jim has a _daughter_?" the two men said in disbelief.

0o0o0o0o0o0

"Okay, kill the engine." Valerie said to Tyson, feeling the pull of the planet grow stronger.

"What?" Tyson questioned.

"Just do it."

Tyson sighed. "I hope you know what you're doing." He pulled the lever, shutting off the jets of the longboat, though the boat still moved forward, speed picking up.

"Are you insane? We'll crash!" Natalie snapped.

"Not exactly." Valerie said. "The faster we go toward the planet, the faster our impact will be. If we just let it pull us on its own, we'll be fine. We'll turn the engines back on and pull up before we crash."

"Can we please stop talking about crashing?" Jonesy whimpered, clinging on to the boat as the force increased. "It's bad enough that we're heading full speed toward the planet!"

"Oh, husssh." Lucinda sneered. "Even if we don't crasssh, we'll probably get killed by sssavagess firssst."

"Dat's it, Lucy, just keep t'inking happy thoughts." Tyson said, sarcastically. He then glanced over at Tesoro, who was holding on tight. He laid a hand on her shoulder. "Tessy? You okay?"

Tesoro shook her head, as if she was in a trance, then looked at Tyson. "I-I-I'm fine." she stammered. "My life was just flashing before my eyes."

"My life flashed before my eyes the moment we left." Jonesy said. Suddenly, he began sliding backward. "Whoa!"

"Hold on!" Valerie yelled. "We're picking up speed!"

A wave of thrust passed over them, rocking the longboat as they began to fall straight toward the ground in a nosedive. Everyone hung on tight, Tyson gripped the lever, preparing himself to turn on the engine. _Just… five… more… seconds! _he thought. _Four… three… two…_

"_TYSON!_" Jonesy screamed. Tyson looked back to see Jonesy fly back over the edge of the boat, soaring above them as they continued to fall at a faster speed.

"Jonesy!" Tyson yelled, letting go of the lever, reaching out to his brother. "No…"

"Tyson, now!" Valerie called frantically, unaware that Jonesy fell out.

Natalie clung on to Tesoro as the ground came up quick. _Just like an intergalactic roller-coaster… _Tesoro thought, remembering her first longboat ride with her mom and dad. She shut her eyes, bracing for impact.

_Just like flying… _Jonesy thought, as he fell through the air. _Only… backwards…_

Then everything went black.

0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: "Then everything went black" - The ending can't get any more clichéd than that! Ooh, I can't wait to see what'll happen after Jim and everyone finds them! …And find out a little 'secret' about Xenta, but you won't find out until later, sorry.

Please R/R. Save the flames for your s'mores.


	25. Chapter 25: The Professor's Fault

Confession time. I'm a write-oholic.

_**Reviewer Thanks**_

OMGitsEMILY: *Whew* I'm glad I'm not the only one who ended my chapter that way!

Anon: You want more? You got more!

Kristen: Take a few deep breaths before you read, okay? I don't want to take the blame if you have a heart-attack! ;)

_Disclaimer_: We know how it goes. Let's just get on with it!

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

_No, you don't know what it's like…_

Falling, it feels like you're completely weightless…

_When nothing feels all right…_

Though, Tyson couldn't care about falling himself, since his own brother- the brother he spent almost his whole life searching for- was lifted out from the speed of their incoming, soaring away from him. He felt numb, all of a sudden.

_You don't know what it's like, to be like me…_

Which is why, when they crashed, he didn't feel anything.

_To be hurt…_

"Tyson?" A voice called to him. Sweet, angelic… just like his mother's voice.

_To feel lost…_

"Uhhh…" he groaned. He opened his eyes, slowly, but not all the way. Everything seemed so blurry… he closed them, his vision back in darkness.

_To be left out in the dark…_

"Tyssson, wake up!" The voice said again, and this time something shook him. "C'mon, don't die on me _now_, you lunkhead!" …Definitely wasn't his mother's voice.

_To be kicked, when you're down…_

"Wha…?" he opened his eyes again, his vision clearing. He saw that Lucinda and Natalie- Tesoro's mother- were sitting right beside him. "What… what happened? …Oy, me head…" he rubbed his head, feeling a bump.

_To feel like you've been pushed around…_

"You didn't pull the lever and got uss ssstranded, that'ssssss what happened!" Lucinda snapped.

"Lucinda, not now," Natalie said firmly to her, then turned back to Tyson. "She's right. We crashed, but luckily, the impact wasn't so bad. We made it here, alive."

_To be on the edge of breaking down, with no one there to save you…_

"Jonesy!" Tyson gasped, looking around, frantically. "Where's Jonesy? Where's me brother?"

_No you don't know what it's like…_

Natalie and Lucinda bowed their heads sadly, avoiding his gaze. Tears welled up in his artificial eyes (denying science, here) and he covered his face with his hands, bawling.

_Welcome to my life…_

"Tyson…" Another voice moaned. Tyson sat up, looking over to see Valerie, propped up against the broken longboat.

"Val?" he stood up and walked over to her, stumbling a bit along the way. Her hand clutched her chest as she took in deep breaths. "Good Lord, what happened tah ya?"

"Let's just say… (uhh!)… this wasn't one of my… (oomph!)… best landings…"

"Is… Is anything broken?"

"I think my ribs are…" Valerie winced. "But don't think a small thing like that will keep me down!"

"If you're sssstill making witty remarksss, I doubt anything can." Lucinda scoffed.

Valerie ignored her. "Don't worry about me. I'll… (urk!) be fine. …Worry about your _other_ girlfriend, eh?"

"Me other…?" Tyson thought about it, then gasped. "Tesoro!" he turned to Natalie. "Where is she?"

Natalie bit her fist, something she tended to do to keep herself from crying, but a sob escaped. "She… fell out of the boat after we crashed. We tried to find her, but… she was nowhere near our crash sight…" she said, then burst out crying. "My baby… she's gone…"

Lucinda put her arm around Natalie to comfort her. Tyson sank down next to Valerie, resting his face in his knees. The felinid heard soft, short breaths and saw his shoulders shake, so she knew he was crying. She put her hand on his shoulder. "Don't think so rash, Tyson," she said. "Tess and Jonesy are strong kids… I know they're okay…" _At least, I hope so…_

They heard some twigs snap and leaves shake, giving them the hint that someone was coming. Natalie put her hand on her pistol that was secured to her belt, preparing herself if their greeters were a threat. She turned to the others, raising her finger to her lips telling them to stay quiet, and she neared the bushes…

"Aah!" A voice yelled, tackling Natalie.

"Augh!" Natalie screamed as she was tackled, but calmed down when she saw her 'attacker'. "BEN?"

The robot had his arms wrapped around her in a hug. "Oh, this is fantastic! You're alive, and you've come to rescue us!" he exclaimed. "I won't be marooned again!"

"BEN?"

"Yes?"

"Get off me."

BEN noticed that he still had Natalie trapped in a hug. "Oh, uh, s-sorry." he released her.

"Is… Jim here?"

BEN smiled. "You bet he is! He and the others are coming right as we-"

"Natalie!" A voice exclaimed, and Natalie was enveloped by another hug, this time it was Jim. "I'm so glad you're alive…" he sounded as if he was crying, and she couldn't blame him.

Tyson watched them, smiling a bit from seeing the two lovers united once again, though he was still cautious about trusting Jim. He watched as several others walked out of the bushes- a blue, four-armed (two arms in bandages) alien, a man with a thick mustache, a man with a white beard with several other men behind him, and-

Tyson's eyes widened, gazing at a man with a thick-gray beard, pointed ears, wearing ragged clothing and having a robotic leg, arm, and eye. He began hyperventilating, covering his mouth with his hand to muffle his gasps.

Valerie tapped him. "What's the matter?" she asked.

He looked at her, but couldn't answer. He looked back up at the cyborg, his knees were shaking, and he wrapped his arms around them to make them stop. When the cyborg looked his way, he looked away, afraid to meet his eyes. He closed his eyes tight to keep his tears from escaping. _I don't believe it! I thought… I thought he was… _he thought, trying to control his breathing.

Tyson didn't pay much attention to anything else. He just noticed that Natalie was smiling and shaking hands with the man with the white beard, while a few other men brought over a make-shift stretcher and put Valerie on it, and then he shut his eyes.

"Hey, kid," Someone tapped him on his shoulder. He gasped lightly, looking up, noticing the man in the white beard was standing next to him. "You okay?"

Tyson nodded, still a bit shaky. "Y-yeah, I'm alright…" he replied.

"Well, come with us, we're going out to search for your friends. …If you think you're up for it, what with crashing and all…"

Tyson stood up quickly. "I'm in. I'll do anything tah find 'em. I'd join even if every bone in me body was broken!"

The man chuckled. "Good, good. …That's quite an accent you've got, kid. What's your name?"

"Tyson. Tyson-" he paused, thinking cautiously. "Revlis."

"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Revlis." They shook hands. "My name is Anthony. Anthony Hawkins. Now, lets go find your friends."

Tyson stared at the man, his eyes glowing orange. _Another Hawkins? Could it be deh one who…? _he wondered, then shook his head. _Forget it for now, Tyson. Ya have more important matters tah get to. _He followed Anthony, Jim, Natalie, the cyborg, and a few other men into the jungle to search for Tesoro and Jonesy.

Valerie watched him go. _Please come back again… _she thought, hopeful. Lucinda and BEN stayed by her side as she was carried up to a cave. Then, randomly, for some reason, she realized something.

Morph wasn't with them, either.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Tesoro woke up from being splashed with water. "Ack! What the…?" she sputtered, looking up at a sponge floating above her head. It grew eyes, and shifted into a little, pink, blob. "Morph?"

"Yay!" Morph exclaimed, rubbing up against her cheek. It had been an hour since they both crashed (he had hid in her pocket once they gained speed) and he had been worried that Tesoro was gone for good. "Tessy! Tessy!"

"Uhhh… boy, do I ache," she sat up, examining the bruises and scratches on her arms. "Man, that's one stunt I'll never do again."

"Never do again."

She rubbed her head and looked around, surrounded by thick bushes and large trees. "Either I'm dreaming I'm visiting a giant green-house, or we're on Xenta."

"Xenta." Morph shuddered, nervous about what dangers lurked about.

"C'mon, Morph, we've got to find the others." Tesoro stood up, stumbling a bit, trying to balance herself, but her foot slipped and she fell through the bushes, down a hole. "Augh!"

"Augh!" Morph flew down after her, down a dark, slick, slanting tunnel.

"Whoa!" Tesoro slid down on the floor of the tunnel on her stomach, as if she were on a slide. "Woo-hoo! …This would be more fun if I knew where this thing was going!"

A blue light shone ahead, and Tesoro and Morph arrived in an underground cavern. Tesoro had slid on the ground, but stood up, balancing herself… but she fell back down in shock at what she saw before her.

A large, blue, glowing orb floated on a pedestal in front of them. Walking up closer, she noticed it wasn't just a pedestal, but some sort of holographic projector, surrounded by buttons and small levers. "What is all this?" Tesoro asked out loud.

Morph shrugged, still gazing curiously around the cavern. Suddenly, he let out a startled squeal and dove into Tesoro's pocket, shaking with fear. "S-scary…" he pointed to something propped up against the wall.

Tesoro turned and gasped, spotting the skeletal remains of… possibly a scientist, judging that he was in a tattered, grimy lab coat. "Oh, gag…" She stumbled back, her elbow accidentally hitting a lever, causing the dusty metallic platform to glow. "Oops."

"Uh, oh," Morph ducked back inside her pocket, only peeking out slightly as the orb began to twirl. Suddenly, an image appeared of a canidid man with white, poofy hair and a mustache, wearing a lab coat.

"Greetings," The holographic image of the scientists said. "My name is Professor Plad Polar. You may know me from my teachings of Planeteology at the University of Planet Felanx. My recent lesson was about gravitational pull… pull… BZZT-WAT-WERP-"

Tesoro watched as the image became fuzzy, and static took over. Curious to learn more, she pressed a button, and a new image of the Professor appeared.

"Video Journal, Day 24" A feminine computer voice announced.

"It has been over a month since I've decided to run my experiments," The Professor's voice narrated as an image of him worked on a machine. "If my calculations are correct, I'll be the first scientist to reconstruct the mass of planets with the advanced energy I have found on Zignus Cross, thereby- WAZT-"

"Reconstruct a planet's mass?" Tesoro asked, looking at Morph, who had built up the courage to come out of her pocket. She pushed another button, this time, an image of the Professor frantically pushing buttons on the platform appeared, only his coat was torn and his hair was messier than before.

"Something's gone wrong! The gravitational pull is out of control! There's only one thing to do," he pulled on a helmet with antennas sticking out of it. "I must send a telepathic message, warning other's to stay away from Xenta- WIZZ- BZT-"

"Telepathic communication?" _I wonder if that has anything to do with the dreams…_

Tesoro pushed another button, showing the Professor, better dressed, standing by the giant orb. "With this energy, I can control the planet's gravity! If I succeed, I can use my work to adjust the gravity on ships, on other planets- In the universe! -BZZ-"

"This guy's a nut." Morph nodded in agreement, turning into an acorn.

Tesoro pushed on more button, showing an image of the Professor, looking aged and drained of energy, a scathed burn-mark rimming his head, and his voice was raspy. "Hello, if you are watching this, then you'll know that I, Professor Polar, have failed with my experiment. I was wrong to try to control nature, I now admit, and because of my deeds, Xenta has become a danger to all to come near it. It's force is too strong now… the machine… too powerful… dreams…" And the image faded. The screen disappeared, leaving only the orb the only light support.

Tesoro turned to the skeleton, approaching it. Morph dove back into her pocket, not wanting to make contact with it. In its lap sat a notebook, full of designs and blueprints of the machine. Tesoro grabbed it, brushing the dust off of it. "So, this is what caused all this," she opened the notebook up, reading a peculiar chapter…

_Day 87: Something has gone wrong. The machine is out of my control, and the gravitational force has grown to strong. Telepathic communication was no use, for the machine has a mind of its own, reading other's minds and casting them out into the galaxy as mental messages. I know this because a young lad arrived long ago by boat, claiming he heard my cry of help in a dream. It appears the machine is using those it traps' thoughts as bait for others. If someone is reading this, I must warn you, you would need to be absolutely mindless to shut down the machi- _

And the rest of the pages were blank. "That explains everything!" Tesoro gasped. "C'mon, Morph, we've got to find the others and tell them this-" She heard a hum, seeing that the orb was glowing red. _It's reading my mind! _she realized.

She got an idea, and grabbed Morph, whispering to him while thinking random thoughts. _Anchovies, unicorns, pickles and bunnies were galloping around the pizza hut… _and other thoughts. It was difficult, but she was able to get her message to Morph. The machine, reading her thoughts, turned orange, and Tesoro guessed it was wary of her actions (since it was the same color Tyson's eyes got when he was suspicious).

She handed Morph the notebook. _Supercalifragilicious-expialidosius… _she thought. Morph grabbed the notebook and flew up the tunnel, quickly. The machine hummed and turned back into red, knowing it had been tricked. Bolts of electricity surged through the orb, and Tesoro backed away. _Deal with it._

0o0o0o0o0o0

Morph zipped out of the tunnel, searching for help. He started flying forward, when he spotted something out of the corner of his eye that made him gasp and almost drop the notebook.

Lying on a tree branch on his stomach, dangling and unconscious, was Jonesy. Morph set the notebook down and flew up to the cabin boy, chattering frantically. He turned into a squirt-gun and sprayed Jonesy's face, but with no affect. Then he got an idea and turned into an open bottle of hot sauce, and floated under his nose, giving off a spicey essence.

Jonesy's eyes fluttered open and he moaned. "Save some for me…" he mumbled, then slipped off the tree branch and hit the ground. "Oof! Oh, what happened? I feel like I've been hit by an interplanetary bus…"

"Jonesy!" Morph squealed, licking the boy's face. "Yay! Not dead!"

"Ugh, I feel like it… Ouch!" Jonesy tried to sit up, but there was a sharp pain in his chest. He was able to sit on his knees, but he heaved over in pain. He looked down, noticing the notebook. He grabbed it, looking through it. "What's all this?"

"Machine! Evil! Gravity! Professor! Tess!" Morph transformed into everything he said, trying to explain everything.

"Tess?" Jonesy looked up at Morph. "Where is she? Where's everyone? ….Tyson?"

Morph shrugged, chirping solemnly.

"C'mon, we've got to find them- ugh!" He tried to stand, but the pain was too intense. He handed the notebook to Morph. "Go get help, Morph. Tell them everything. …Where's Tess?"

Morph pointed over to the bush he had flew out of. It was at least 50 feet away. He saw the determination in Jonesy's eyes. "No," he shook his head, turning into a hand and pointing downwards. "Stay!"

Jonesy shrugged. "Hey, someone's got to keep her company."

Morph groaned. "Danger…" He turned back into the machine, with the orb being red.

"Don't worry, I'll be careful."

"Injured!" Morph turned into a mini Jonesy, collapsing on the ground.

He shook his head. "I don't care. …I've got to see her."

"Tyson?" Morph changed into a mini Tyson, looking around as if searching for something… namely Jonesy.

He sighed. "Good point. Fine, I'll stay here. We'll need all the help we can get, anyway."

Morph nodded and flew off on his rescue mission.

0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: Once again, I'd like to give thanks to Nims for the idea! …The rest of you weren't expecting that, were you? Please R/R, flames suck eggs


	26. Chapter 26: Singing Songs & Losing Minds

Good news: I'm a fast updater.

Bad news: It's getting close to the end of the story.

_**Reviewer Thanks**_

Anon: Always a loyal viewer. Wow.

OMGitsEMILY: Trust me, there's a lot more you won't expect

Kristen: Thanks for the idea. I have a pretty good idea on who Tess will fall in love with, but its not my nature to 'write and tell' ha ha… wait, that didn't make sense.

Nims: Please don't join the mob! And don't worry, Tess won't get hurt… much. ;)

_Disclaimer: _(is the same as it's been throughout this whole story)

0o0o0o0o0

There was one thing Natalie and Tyson had in common: They didn't trust certain people they were with, and for a good reason, namely concerning hurtful memories that scarred their lives.

Natalie stayed by Jim's side, keeping her thoughts on finding her daughter, ignoring the fact that she was searching for her with Silver- the man she believed caused her father's death. Jim could sense her feelings, remembering her story of how her father was murdered, and the only person he mentioned before he died was Silver. He looked at the cyborg, doubting that he could be dubbed as a killer. Then again, he was a pirate… _No, _Jim scolded himself. _Silver would never do such a thing! …Would he?_

Tyson walked in the back next to Silver, keeping silent and staring ahead (as usual). He tried to keep his thoughts on finding Jonesy and Tesoro, but his theories on the Hawkins being responsible for what happened back on his home planet when he was young, not to mention being near Silver, kept flooding back to him. _But he and Jim are friends, _Tyson remembered. _Jim wouldn't send out men tah do such a thing. Anthony… well, he's been on Xenta fer Lord knows how many years… But what if-_

"You're awfully quiet, lad," Silver said to him, breaking his thoughts. "Somet'in' botherin' ya?"

Tyson shook his head, not looking at him. _Just say somet'in' already! _"Uh…" he began.

"Hey, listen." Jim said, stopping. Everyone stood still. "Do you hear that?"

"It sounds like… singing." Natalie said after a pause. Everyone listened to a catchy tune being sung by a normal- yet high-pitched- voice.

"It's Jonesy!" Tyson exclaimed, leaping into the air rejoicing, then running off toward the direction of the singing- then getting hit in the face. "Argh! What deh…?"

"Tyson! What happened?" Natalie asked, rushing over.

"Somet'in' hit me in deh face with a… notebook?" Tyson looked down, noticing a notebook, which wobbled a bit as a pink blob slipped out from beneath it, rubbing his head.

"Ouch," Morph muttered, then looked up, seeing Tyson. "Tyyyyyssoooooooooon!" He nuzzled the boy's neck, then licked his face.

"Ack! Morph! Alright! I missed ya too!" Tyson grabbed Morph, patting him.

Morph looked over and his eyes widened- I mean, really widened! - at the sight of Jim. "_Jiiiiiiiiiim_!" He zoomed up to his face, giving him the same treatment.

"H-hey, Morph! Glad to see you!" Jim chuckled, grabbing the blob and tickling him.

Morph then flew over to Natalie and nuzzled her cheek. She giggled. "We were pretty worried, Morph." she said. "Where have you been?"

Morph transformed into a mini Tesoro, then a mini Jonesy, and pointed in another direction. "He knows where t'ey are!" Silver chuckled, rejoicing. "Oy, t'ank Heavens!"

Morph turned to Silver, and his jaw dropped, stretching down at least a foot from where he floated. Rather than rushing up and snuggling up to his old master, he did something unsuspecting. He melted to the ground, fainting.

Natalie scooped Morph into her hands. "C'mon, he said they were that way," she said, pointing in the direction Morph had just a few minutes ago.

As they ran (Tyson and Jim in the lead), Anthony paused, picking up the notebook on the ground, flipping through the pages. "Well, I'll be." he said, intrigued. "This'll be something to talk about back at the cave." He tucked the notebook in his belt. "Yessiree." He ran off, catching up with the others.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Jonesy was injured, lost, afraid of what kind of trouble Tesoro and Tyson might be in, and worst of all, he was _bored_. It had been almost half an hour since Morph had left, and he was getting impatient. He wanted to crawl all the way over to the bush where Morph said Tesoro was and just find her!

But he knew he had to wait for Tyson. _Brother's before lovers. _he thought… though he knew Tesoro didn't really 'love' him. But he loved her, and that was all that count.

The minutes began to feel like hours, and he was becoming restless. He started humming a tune, which turned to whistling a couple minutes later, and soon he was singing, "_So if we all come together, we know what to do," _he sang. "_We all come together to sing with a view. So if we all come together, we know what to do. We all come together just for you…"_

He wasn't sure whether the lyrics were right or not, but he didn't stop. "_Sailing, sailing, jumping off the railing. Drinking, drinking, 'till the ship is sinking. Gambling, stealing, lots of sex appealing…" _then, in a humorous, more soprano tone, "_Come, let us sing the Sailor Song!_" And he began to laugh, which hurt his bruised chest. He sighed, leaning back against a tree.

He shut his eyes, thinking about pleasant thoughts. He remembered another song, one he had heard on the radio somewhere in the Coral Galaxy. "_When you leave, my colors fade to gray. Numa numa, yei. Numa numa numa yei." _He began tracing his finger in the dirt._ "Every word of love I used to say…_" He looked down, noticing he had spelled Tesoro's name inside a heart. _"Now I paint it every day…"_

"Lovely singin' voice ya got, Jonesy." A voice said from in front of him. He looked up, seeing Tyson, Natalie, Morph, and a few others he didn't quite recognize.

"Tyson!" Despite the pain from his chest, he stood up quick and rushed over to his brother, stumbling and falling forward in his arms, trapping himself in a hug. "Oh, I'm so glad you're alive!"

Tyson chuckled. "I'm glad I'm alive, too." He helped Jonesy to his feet, keeping his hand on his back to keep him balanced. He looked around. "Where's Tessy?"

"Morph said she was somewhere by that bush… Ooh," Jonesy clutched his chest, falling to his knees in pain. "Go.. Get her, will you, please?"

Natalie tickled Morph into consciousness. "Morph," she said. "Can you lead us to Tess?"

Morph nodded, flying over to the bush, everyone following. Tyson hooked Jonesy's arm around his neck and carried him over. "T'ere's no way I'm letting ya skip out on yer girl," he said, playfully.

Pulling away the bush, they saw a tunnel. "Slick," Morph warned them.

Anthony felt the edge of it, and nodded. "He's right. And it looks pretty steep." he added. "If we go down there, we'll have one heck of a time trying to get back up."

"I don't care," Jim said, sternly. "My daughter's down there, and she needs me."

"Hey, she needs me, too," Natalie scoffed.

"T'ere's some rope back at deh cave," Silver said. "We can use it tah get back up."

"Someone will have to stand guard while we head back." Anthony said.

"I'll stay," Jim and Jonesy both said at the same time.

"Jonesy, ya need some medical help," Tyson said firmly. "Ya can't just-"

"I don't care," Jonesy said, sternly, just as Jim had. "I'm not leaving Tesoro, not even for… oog… a minor injury." Tyson nodded, knowing Jonesy wouldn't turn down. He set him gently on the ground. Morph shifted into a pillow for Jonesy to rest his head on. "Thanks, Morph."

"Ya must really care about dat lass tah stay behind wit' a busted chest," Silver said, kneeling down beside Jonesy.

The cabin boy looked up, noticing Silver more clearly, and his eyes widened. The cyborg tussled his hair, stood up, and left with Anthony and Natalie. He turned back to Tyson. "Ty… was that… I mean, is it really…?"

Tyson nodded. "Yep," he sighed. "He's our pap." he patted Jonesy on the head, then stood up to follow the others.

_I knew it. _Jim thought, letting out a light chuckle. Jonesy turned to him, studying his features. He had blue eyes like Tesoro, and the same smile, so it was no doubt that he was her father. …Especially since he mentioned that Tesoro was his daughter.

"So… you like my daughter, huh?" Jim said to him, deciding to pass the time with conversation.

Jonesy looked up at the sky. It was growing pink, so he knew night was coming fast. "As much as I love my brother," he replied, sighing. "I wish I were with her now…"

Jim nodded. "Same here… I really miss her."

They both sighed heavily. "I hope she's okay," they said quietly, at the same time.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

_Natalie and Jim stood at the bough of the ship, arms linked, watching the stars soar by. It had been three days since they locked Kenny up, and they were almost to their arrival._

"_It's almost over too soon," Natalie sighed, resting her head on Jim's shoulder. "Then, it's back to life."_

"_Yeah." Jim sighed, holding her hand, caressing the top of it with his thumb. "If only it didn't have to end…"_

_Their port came up fast- too fast- and the ship crashed, bursting into a flaming explosion-_

Tesoro opened her eyes, gasping. She had been dreaming about the rest of the story, when that last, tragic thought had entered her head. "Just a nightmare," she sighed, heavily. She looked at the machine, the orb was glowing a bluish-purple color. _I wonder if Jonesy could tell what it was thinking. _she wondered. She closed her eyes again, the memory of her parents' first voyage continuing in her head.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"If only it didn't have to end," Jim sighed.

"Maybe… maybe we'll meet again." Natalie said, hopeful. "I could hire you for another delivery."

Jim chuckled. "You know, I'm not too fond of this 'delivery' business. I was hoping I would get to explore the galaxy on my own, visit other planets, see new things…"

"So, why didn't you?"

Jim looked down, and he walked away from her, peering over the edge. "I needed the money. My mom's Inn wasn't doing too well, and we had bills to pay. So, I took this job to help us get by. But, once we were caught up, I was stuck with it."

Natalie walked up and stood next to him. "Why don't you just quit, then?"

Jim sighed. "Because, if I quit, I'd have no money… and if I took a job as a spacer, I'd be gone longer, possibly never come back…"

Natalie rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me you're afraid of becoming your father."

Jim glowered at her. "I meant that I might get killed. …But, if I didn't, I would come back, no matter how long I would be gone. …I'm not my father."

"I'm sorry…" Natalie turned away from him. "You're right. You're not your father. Any man who would risk his life to help others doesn't sound like one that would take up and leave. You're a good man, Jim."

Jim laid his hand on her shoulder, turning her gently around. "Thanks." he smiled.

She smiled back, putting her hand over his. "Don't mention it."

"We're nearing the port!" One of the sailor's called from the crow's nest. Jim and Natalie looked ahead, noticing that the planet was closer than they wanted it to be.

"I guess this is… goodbye?"

Jim shook his head. "Goodbye means forever," he said, resting his finger under her chin. "This is more of a… See you later." He leaned in slowly, shutting his eyes. Natalie let his finger guide her chin forward, and she shut her eyes as their lips embraced.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Hey, anybody home- whoa!" A shout awoke Tesoro, and she looked over to see Jonesy stumble backwards, gazing at the orb.

"Look out!" Jim called, sliding down, landing on his hands and knees.

"Gang way!" Tyson called, sliding down next to Jim.

"Whoa-AUGH!" BEN screamed, slipping down and landing on Tyson. "Huh! The ground seems softer."

"It's me, ya twit."

"Whoops! Sorry," BEN stood up, and helped Tyson up, brushing him off. "Sorry, but when you're sliding, it's hard to control the brakes, heh heh…"

Anthony and Natalie slid down next, pulling down a rope. "Oh, jeez!" Anthony shouted, gazing at the orb. "It's different from the drawings…"

"Careful, it reads minds!" Tesoro warned. The orb turned orange.

"It's suspicious." Jonesy said, observing the color change. "Incredible. A machine with a mind of its own that controls a planet's mass, just like Anthony said." The orb turned bright purple. "Huh! Seems to be a bit boasting, as well."

"So, you can tell it's emotions?"

He shrugged. "Just by guessing."

"Oh, please. Ya an expert when it comes tah coloring emotions." Tyson scoffed.

"So, how do we shut down this thing?" Jim asked.

The orb turned red, electrical bolts surging around it. "Uh, shouldn't have said that," Jonesy said nervously, backing away.

"There's no way to shut it down," Tesoro sighed. "The Professor who made it tried, but he…" she looked at the skeleton. "Well, he didn't succeed. It knows our thoughts, and you would have to have a scrambled brain to trick it."

Jim then got a plan, then turned to BEN. "BEN, I think you could help us with that." he said.

"How?" he asked. "My mind has been working fine ever since… you…" Jim gave him a sly look. "Oh, no way! Nuh uh! There is no way I'm letting you-"

"Please, BEN?" Tesoro pleaded, sweetly, her blue eyes shimmering wide with begging. "To help us get off?"

BEN groaned. "You know, that look is worse than the look your dad gives me when he gets mad."

"C'mon, BEN, you'll be a hero." Natalie coaxed, stepping behind BEN, putting her hand on his shoulder.

"But, what if-"

Natalie grabbed the back of his head and pulled out his primary memory circuit. His eyes dimmed, and he fell to the ground. "Oh, no. Did I kill him?"

BEN shot up, a surprised look on his face, as his eyes turned green. "Whoa! What happened? Where am I?"

"Dat would be a 'no'." Tyson said.

"BEN, listen, I need you to go to that machine and…" Jim began, then remembered what Tesoro said about the machine reading minds. _Just push buttons… _"Just push buttons, see if it has any more information, got it?"

"Right!" BEN exclaimed. "And… you would be?"

"Just do it!" Tyson snapped, shoving the robot over to the machine.

"Okay! Okay! Sheesh…" BEN walked over to the machine, and the orb glowed orange, then glowed an orange-ish red.

"It seems confused." Jonesy said, watching the orb. "Why?"

"He's lost his mind," Natalie said, holding up BEN's memory circuit.

They watched as BEN pushed buttons, a screen of the Professor popping up, startling him and making him hit a lever, making the screen change quickly. He pushed a few more buttons, frantically trying to figure out how to work the machine. Finally, he turned to the others. "Hey, guys? What exactly am I looking for?" he asked.

The orb turned red. "It's angry… it must have found out!" Jonesy gasped.

"Everyone, start thinking random thoughts!" Tesoro ordered.

"What?" Tyson asked.

"Just do it!" _Riding space whales, driving a longboat,… Mom and Dad's first kiss… Jonesy kissing me…_

Tyson shrugged. "Lets do it," _Arm wrestling with Valerie, watching deh crew dunk their heads in deh water… Mom's smile… Finding Dad… Me and Jonesy flying Kilaspian Kites…_

_Montressor, meeting Silver, Treasure Planet, meeting Natalie… _Jim thought.

_Louigi's oven exploding, Kenny spitting in the coffee… Tesoro being born… marrying Jim… _Natalie thought.

_Hot sauce, finding Tyson… meeting Tesoro… Riding space whales… Kissing Tesoro… maybe I'll kiss her again, someday… _Jonesy thought.

_Which button am I supposed to push? Who are these people? Why am I here? What happened to Flint's Trove? Big door… opening and closing and opening and closing- _Ben thought, frantically pushing buttons, his mind (not that he has it, anymore) malfunctioning, and he began pulling levers, jumping on the machine, tap dancing on the buttons.

The machine kept glowing red, orange, bluish-purple, and yellow, trying to stay in control, but with BEN messing with its systems and trying to find the plan within everyone's minds, it couldn't take it any more! An electrical surge shot through the entire machine, shocking BEN off.

Natalie rushed over to the robot's aid and placed his memory back in. "Sorry about that," she said, after his eyes shimmered blue again. "But at least you helped save the day."

"Don't mention it." BEN said, dizzily. "Just don't let me save the day again…"

Everyone gasped and watched as electrical bolts shot out of the machine- and one hit Tesoro, stunning her. "Ugnh!" she cried, collapsing on the ground.

"Tesoro!" Jim cried, cradling his daughter in his arms.

"We've got to get out of here!" Jonesy cried. "That machine's having serious mood swings!"

"Everyone, grab onto the rope!" Anthony ordered, grabbing hold of the rope.

It was difficult, getting up far enough to everyone was hanging on to the rope. Tesoro had been tied to the end, and Jim hung on next to her, one hand grasping the rope, the other wrapped around his daughter.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Silver felt the tug on the rope. "Alright, lads! Heave!" he called to the rest of the men- plus Lucinda and Valerie (who declined the order of staying in the cave rather than helping her friend). They all pulled, Gene even used his injured arms, despite the pain. Louigi sat by a tree in which the rope was wrapped around, pulling the other end of it with all his strength. Morph transformed into a hand and gripped the rope, pulling as much as he could.

Inch-by-inch the rope was pulled. "C'mon, pull!" Valerie yelled. "Lives are on the line!"

"No duh!" Lucinda grunted.

They pulled hard, pulling up Anthony first, followed by Tyson. The two ran over and helped the rest of the men heave, pulling up BEN next, then Natalie, who joined the pulling.

Jonesy came up next, grabbing the edge and pulling himself out, clutching his chest. He sat off to the side, watching as Jim and Tesoro were pulled upward. _Come on… Come on… _he thought, urgently.

Jim was at the end of the rope, clinging on to Tesoro. "Don't worry, Tess," Jim said to her. "We're almost there."

"Just… A few… More inches!" Valerie grunted.

There was a _snap! _and the rope broke at the edge, causing Jim and Tesoro to slide back down. "No!" Jonesy cried, lunging toward them and grabbing the rope. He began slipping slowly, then sliding quickly down the tunnel.

"Gotcha!" Tyson yelled, grabbing Jonesy's ankles. "T'ere's no way I'm losing ya again!"

"I'm wit' ya on dat," Silver said, grabbing Tyson's waist and helping him pull Jonesy, Jim, and Tesoro up to safety.

They backed away from the tunnel. And just in time…

_BOOM! _A plume of fiery smoke shot out of the hole, a sign that the machine was finally destroyed. Everyone cheered.

Jim still held Tesoro in his arms, and Natalie sat by him. Jonesy and Tyson sat across from them, Silver's arms around both of them, with Morph resting on his shoulder. "Ya did good, boys," the cyborg said, proudly, to both them and Jim. "Ya saved deh day."

Tyson shook his head. "Tesoro's deh real hero." he said, his eyes orange as he watched Tesoro lay there, motionless.. "If it weren't fer her…" he paused, wondering whether or not he should continue.

"…We never would have found you," Jonesy finished, resting his head on Silver's chest.

"Me? Why in deh world would ya want tah find me?" Silver asked, a bit flattered.

"C'mon, Silver, don't you recognize them?" Jim asked, playfully. "Tyson has the same accent… Jonesy, well obviously, he has your heart…"

Silver gaped a bit, then dug into his pocket and pulled out a wrinkled photograph of two boys- the same photograph Valerie had seen in her dream- and made the comparison. They had the same features and everything. He looked down at Tyson. "It… It can't be! I t'ought you were dead!" he stammered.

"Hey, we t'ought the same t'ing." Tyson shrugged with a smirk. His eyes went from orange to copper brown, and he smiled. Silver pulled him and Jonesy close into a hug, and he felt tears roll down his eyes. He looked over and saw that Jonesy was crying- from joy- as well.

"Uh, pardon me, boys," Silver said, clearing his throat as he released the boys. "I've got a bit o' grease in me cyborg eye…"

"Same here," Tyson turned away, not wanting anyone to see.

"I didn't know grease was the color of tears," Valerie joked. Tyson sneered at her, but then smiled and shrugged. She smiled back.

"Well, c'mon, everyone," Anthony grunted, standing up. "We've got a few wounds to attend to."

Everyone carried those who were wounded- Anthony and Gene supported Louigi, while Tyson carried Valerie, ignoring her protests. "Ah, enjoy it while ya still can, Kitten," he said, winking at her. She sneered at him, but relaxed in his arms.

Jim carried Tesoro as Silver carried Jonesy. "Quite a kid you've got there," Jim said to Silver, then turned to Jonesy with a nod of thanks.

"Yours ain't so bad, eit'er." Silver replied.

"She's not bad at all," Jonesy said, gazing at Tesoro. He looked up at the sky once more, watching as the stars began to come out. "Not bad at all…" he soon drifted to sleep in his father's arms.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: I couldn't resist ending this chapter with a heart-warming moment. I hope you enjoyed. Too bad it's almost over… : (

Please R/R. Flames have already been used in the explosion, so don't send more.


	27. Chapter 27: Story Time

**The plot bunnies haunted me in my sleep last night, then I came up with this chapter! BTW, the songs in the last chapter were called **_**The Sailor Song **_**by Toybox, and **_**Numa Numa (English Version) **_**by O-zone… Sorry, I forgot to post that because I got caught up in the warm moment.**

_**Reviewer Thanks**_

OMGitsEMILY: Yeah, I'm going to be sad when the story's over, too… but that's still a way's away!

Nims: Oh, the machine may be broken, but it's not over yet!

Kristen: Yes, there are still issues… for now ;)

Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah…

0o0o0o0o0o0

Tesoro lay on a slab of rock in the cave, while one of Anthony's men, Daedalus, checked her wound. He was the only medical expert they had, and fortunately, he always came prepared. He took out a First Aid kit and was about to check the wound on the young girl's chest, but paused, turning to Natalie.

"You may want to stay beside her, in case she wakes up," Daedalus told her. "It might be a bit shocking for her to wake up and see a stranger examining her chest."

Natalie nodded. "Of course." she said, kneeling by her daughter, stroking her head.

Daedalus pulled up her shirt, noticing she was wearing a tank-top underneath, but he could still see the wound clearly. Natalie gasped at the sight of it: a large blistering burn mark where the electrical bolt hit her, almost the size of a human head, covered with blackened soot. "That bolt got her good." he dug into his bag, pulling out a tube of medical cream. "Luckily, I'm experienced in the field of lightening strikes." He pulled the top of her undershirt down far enough to see the full burn-mark, then applied the cream.

The feel of the cold cream on her chest jolted Tesoro awake, and she gasped seeing Daedalus touching her, and was about to punch him until her mother laid her hand on her head. "M-Mom?" Tesoro said, her voice raspy.

"Don't worry, honey," Natalie said in a soothing voice, holding her daughter's hand. "He's a doctor."

Tesoro gripped her mother's hand, wincing from the burn. "Mom… it hurts…"

"It's okay, Tess, it'll go away soon,"

Daedalus took out some bandages. "Tesoro, I'm going to have to ask you to remove your shirt." he said professionally, but his voice was friendly.

Tesoro gulped and looked at her mother. "You're going to have to. …Can you sit up?"

Tesoro looked around the cave, noticing they were in a private 'room' away from the others. She sighed and nodded, straining to get up, grunting. Natalie put her hand on her back and helped her up, and the young girl did as she was told…

"Hey, Daedalus, Anthony wants to know- Eep!" BEN began to call, but when he entered the room, he let out a yell.

"BEN!" Tesoro shrieked, though her voice was still raspy, covering her bare chest.

The robot covered his eyes. "Sorry! Sorry! …I'll come back, later." And he rolled out. If robots could blush, BEN knew he would be red all over…

…like Tesoro was. "That… was embarrassing."

"Natalie, why don't you put the bandages on?" Daedalus suggested, handing Natalie the roll of bandages. "I'll keep watch." He stood up and walked over to the doorway of the room, checking to make sure no one else was coming.

Natalie wrapped the bandages around Tesoro's chest, making sure they were tight, but loose enough so she could breathe. She tied the end of the bandage, looping it under the last row, and tucking it in. Tesoro put her undershirt back on, then her regular shirt.

Natalie helped her lay back down, and Tesoro groaned. "Mom? Don't get hit by lightening." she said, half-serious, half-playfully. "Not fun."

"It would be best if you got some more rest," Daedalus said, walking over and pulling a blanket up to her shoulders. He folded up another for her to use as a pillow. "The pain should be gone once you wake up."

"Uh, Daedalus?" BEN called, looking in with his eyes covered. "Anthony wants to know how Tesoro is doing."

Daedalus got up, sighing. "That man just can't send his own messages himself," he walked out, following BEN.

"Do you need anything?" Natalie asked her daughter.

"Not really…" Tesoro replied. "But, you could do one thing for me…"

"What's that?"

Tesoro smiled. "Tell me my favorite bedtime story?"

Natalie smiled, stroking her daughter's head. "Sure. After all, it's my favorite, too."

"Mine too," A voice said behind them. They turned around and saw Jim, smiling at them.

"Dad!" Tesoro exclaimed, trying to sit up, but Natalie gently held her down.

"Ah, ah, ah." Natalie said, wagging her finger. "You need to lie down, remember?"

Jim walked over and sat down next to his daughter. "How you feeling?" he asked.

"Fine," Tesoro replied.

Jim looked at his wife. "Well, go on, Nat. Tell her the story."

"Hold on! I want to hear it, too." Anthony called, running in. He smiled down at Tesoro. "So, this is my granddaughter, eh?" he tussled her hair.

Tesoro looked at Jim, confused. "He's my dad. Long story." he replied.

"Did I hear someone mention a story?" Silver asked, walking in. He smiled at Tesoro. "Hello, Tessy. Me sons told me a great deal about ya."

Tesoro's eyes widened. "Are you… Tyson's dad?" she asked in awe.

"Indeed, I am. Your father must've told ya about me."

Tesoro looked at her dad. "Silver?"

Jim nodded. "Silver."

"Hey, are you going to let me tell a story, or what?" Natalie asked, chuckling.

"Well, go on, lass," Silver chuckled.

Natalie began her story of how she and Jim met…

0o0o0o0o0o0

Planet Kilgany was a gorgeous place to be, marble white buildings shining in the sunlight, multicolored trees here and there… but Natalie nor Jim could enjoy it, knowing it would be the last place they would be together.

Jim held her hands. "Make sure that celestial bronze gets delivered, safely," he told her.

"It already has," Natalie replied. She released his hands and walked down the plank, over to the docking guard to check in the cargo as the sailors unloaded it.

Jim sighed and turned away, walking back to his quarters. Gene and Louigi watched him walked by, a look of sadness on their faces. Their friend had found someone to love, and suddenly, when they realized their feelings for each other, they had to separate. "Bummer." Gene said.

"Shame that you let such a tesoro go, Jim," Louigi said to his Captain/friend.

Jim turned to him, arching an eyebrow. "My… what?" he asked.

"Tesoro, it's-a Italian for 'treasure'." Louigi looked down at Natalie. "You certainly found a beauty, Jim."

Jim sighed. "Yeah, well, nothing can last forever…"

"Whoa, hold it, Jim!" Gene said hastily, stepping in front of him. "You just can't let her go! Sure, you both have jobs… But it's still love." He turned his friend back toward Natalie, who was walking away. "Jim, you're not going to find another girl like that in a million years!"

"Go to her, Jim," Louigi coaxed. "We'll watch the ship."

Jim smiled. "You two match-makers aren't going to give up, are you?" he asked, teasingly. They shrugged, smiling. He nodded, and ran down the plank. "Natalie!"

Natalie turned around, hearing someone call her name, and within seconds, she was trapped in a hug. "Jim! What-" she stammered, though a smile stayed on her face.

Jim released her, but still held her hands. "Natalie… would you… I mean, um…"

Natalie pressed a finger to his lips. "How about you give me a lift?" she smiled.

Jim arched an eyebrow. "But… I thought you said…"

She shrugged. "I was just checking to see how much you loved me."

"You mean, you set me up, scaring me into thinking I'd never see you again, just so you could test my feeling for you?" Jim glared at her, but then smiled. "You sneaky, little…"

"So?"

"So… what?"

"Do you love me? If not, I can just find another ship and save you the-" Jim silenced her, pressing his lips against hers.

"I'm not sure," he said playfully, pulling away. "I think we should… get to know each other a little better, don't you think?" He nodded over to his ship.

Natalie smiled. "Good point." And arm-in-arm, they walked onto the ship…

…and arm-in-arm, they walked off weeks later, smiling at each other.

0o0o0o0o0o0

"So that's how my boy met a beautiful woman!" Anthony said, laughing heartily and shaking Natalie's hand. "Well, it's a pleasure to have you as part of the family." He looked down at Tesoro, who had fallen asleep. "And thank you, for giving me a wonderful granddaughter."

Jim and Natalie held hands, smiling at their daughter. "Yep, she's the greatest treasure I've ever had," Jim said, the first thing he said about his daughter when he gave her a name. "My little Tesoro."

Everyone cleared the room to let Tesoro get some sleep. Anthony couldn't help but look back at her, smiling. _The greatest treasure of all, _he thought.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Tyson sat with Jonesy in a different room in the cave as they waited for Daedalus to arrive. The doctor arrived within minutes with his kit, and had the cabin-boy remove his shirt for examination.

Tyson tried hard to stifle a gasp. His brother's whole chest had a large, blackish-purple bruise that stretched down to his stomach from when he fell and landed on a tree branch. And his back was no better, having a few smaller, but still blackened bruises all over, and he possibly got them from hitting several other branches during his fall.

"Remind me to never go sky-diving," Jonesy joked, chuckling a bit though it hurt his chest. His brother chuckled lightly. Even when injured, Jonesy still had a good sense of humor.

Daedalus took out a different kind of cream, applying it to the bruises on the cabin boy's back. Jonesy shivered from the coolness of it, and Daedalus handed him the jar. "Spread some on your chest and stomach, while I'll get your back," he asked in his professional/friendly voice. Jonesy obeyed, rubbing the cream onto his chest. Once that was taken care of, Daedalus wrapped the bandages around his torso. "Nothing's broken, but try not to bend over too much for a couple days, just to be safe."

Anthony walked in once they were finished, and Daedalus nodded to him as he walked out. He nodded back and turned to Jonesy. "How you feeling?" he asked.

"I could say I've been better," Jonesy replied, pulling on his shirt.

Anthony walked over and sat down across from the boys. "I'd like to thank you both for saving my son and granddaughter's life."

"You're… Tesoro's grandfather?"

He nodded. "Yes I am."

Jonesy looked worriedly over to Tyson, noticing his eyes were orange. He remembered that Tyson still had a grudge over the Hawkins, because of what happened a long time ago.

Anthony turned to Tyson, noticing his eyes. "You're Silver's kid, eh?" Tyson nodded, but didn't say anything. He sighed heavily. "You must have a grudge against my family, then."

Tyson arched an eyebrow. "How did you… I mean, what makes ya say dat?" he asked, surprised.

Anthony shook his head. "Don't try to hide it, Tyson. Your father told me everything, when he first came here."

"He… did?"

Anthony nodded. "A long time ago, he told me, after he met my son, he went home to be with his wife. He said he had two sons- which I take it would be the two of you, no doubt- and he decided to retire from his 'pirating' business to take care of you, after…" he paused.

"…after our mom died," Tyson sighed sadly, looking at the ground.

"Yes, he said she was the finest woman he had ever met." he cleared his throat. "…As I was saying, he told me a man came to his house, demanding that he would come out of retirement and join his crew, but he refused. But the man wouldn't take 'no' for an answer…"

"So he burned down our house, kidnapped Jonesy, and caused us all misery," Tyson's eyes turned red at the memory.

"Aye, but that's only the half of it." Tyson and Jonesy looked at him, curiously. "They kidnapped Jonesy all right, and threatened your father that they would kill him if he didn't join, giving him no choice. But he left Jonesy at an orphanage, not wanting his son to have the same life as he did. A life of a pirate."

"Dad being a pirate." Jonesy said, a bit shocked but impressed. "Who would have thought?"

"Yes, and he despised it. He even tried to pull a mutiny, but the men said they knew where Tyson was, and threatened to kill him if he tried."

"I'd like to have seen them try," Tyson scoffed, his eyes still red.

"They were bluffing, of course, thinking you were still dead, Silver overheard. Of course, before they could do anything, they reached Xenta… and well, crashed. Silver and the captain- the man who drug him into this- were the only ones who survived. We took them in, though the captain was badly injured, and was only alive for a few minutes after we brought him to the cave. On his deathbed, he apologized to Silver for everything, and me…"

"You?"

Anthony nodded. "He apologized for leaving me behind, abandoning me and my mother for his own pleasure of excitement… Something I never wanted to do, but accidentally did to Jim- But I was going to come back, until I reached Xenta, wanting to explore…" he cleared his throat. "But anyway, the man who caused everyone grief… he was my father, Nathaniel Hawkins, but he took the name of Black Beard, though of course, I could tell after I saw him that he had his hair dyed to look younger…" Anthony looked at Tyson and Jonesy. "I hope… this clears everything up for you."

Tyson nodded with consent. "Aye, it does. At least now I know what man in your family tah blame, rather t'an hold a grudge against ya all."

Anthony held out his hand. "So… truce?"

Tyson looked at it, his eyes orange, but then he smiled and shook Anthony's hand, his eyes back to their copper-brown color. "Truce."

"Yes!" Jonesy exclaimed, jumping up and shooting his fists into the air, then toppled back down in pain. "Ouch."

"Whoa, take it easy, Jonesy! I don't want tah have a dead brother." He and Jonesy laughed, and Anthony left the two brothers alone, smiling back at them.

0o0o0o0

Silver, after hearing Natalie's story, was stunned after learning her last name was Crow, and heard about her late-father (though she skipped the part about framing him, skipping the fight she and Jim had and leaving it at the part where he told her about Treasure Planet, then skipping to the part where they had to save Kenny from Louigi's wrath).

_Could she be…? _Silver thought, walking over to the young woman, who sat at the mouth of the cave. He sat down next to her. "So… your maiden name is Crow, eh?" he asked. It was a bad way to start a conversation, but it was all he could come up with.

"Yes," Natalie said, bluntly. She still didn't trust him.

"Are ya… by any chance, related tah a man by deh name of… Charlie?"

Natalie turned to him, surprised. "Yes. That was my father's name…" she looked away, mournfully.

"I'm… sorry about what happened tah him… I wish I could have done somet'in'."

Natalie glared at him. "I didn't tell you how he died…" She knew where he was going with this, though.

Silver sighed. "I was t'ere wit' him when it happened. He was boating, an' we happened tah cross paths. We started up conversation, I talked about me wife, he talked about ya and your mother, it was just a casual t'ing… until…"

"Until…?"

"Until… some blasted man came after me, t'inking I had deh map tah Flint's trove." Silver clenched his fists. "I knew Bones had framed me fer it, which is how I got caught up in trying tah find him… and deh map, of course, wit' me being a pirate…" he cleared his throat. "Anyway, he began shootin' at me, an' I told your dad tah get outta t'ere, but…" he sighed. "A bullet hit him, an' his boat crashed… I shot dat other man an' went tah help Charlie… Deh last t'ing he told me was tah get help, so I got deh police."

"But… they said they never found out who killed my dad… what did you do with the other man's body?"

"I shot him, but apparently I didn't kill him when I saw dat his boat was gone. I found him later, though he had bled tah death from deh wound I gave him. But before I could turn him in, the police were after me, t'inking I was responsible fer deh murder, an' I knew, since I was a pirate, dat they wouldn't believe me side of deh story, possibly pinning me as a homicidal maniac."

Natalie remained silent. All her life, she had accused Silver for her father's death, but now, hearing his side of the story, she knew she was wrong. She could tell by looking him straight in the eye- both real and cyborg- that everything he said was the truth. She burst out crying, covering her face in her hands. "All this time… I thought you…" she said between sobs.

Silver put his arm around her in comfort. "It's alright, lass. Ya ain't deh first one tah blame me for such crimes, but ya are deh first one tah hear me out." he cleared his throat. "Now, why don't ya go check on dat lovely daughter of yours?"

Natalie nodded, and stood up, walking to the room where Tesoro was. She looked back at Silver. "Thank you… for telling me."

Silver nodded to her, smiling. She smiled back and walked away.

Silver looked over at a bush, noticing something. "Ya can come out, now, Jim."

Jim, who had been eavesdropping on their conversation, stood up, grinning. He sat down next to Silver. "I knew you didn't do it." he said. "I knew you weren't that kind of man."

Silver laughed. "Jimbo, I may be a greedy, boisterous, short-tempered pirate, but I'm no killer. I make deh threats, but I don't do deh deed."

"Yeah, I know that from experience." he laughed, and Silver joined him.

0o0o0o0o0o0

It was either 1 AM or 2 AM, Jonesy couldn't tell from how dark it was outside, but he knew it was past midnight. He snuck over to Tesoro's room, where he saw that Jim and Natalie were asleep against the wall across from their daughter, and Morph was asleep, snuggled against her neck. He quietly walked over and knelt beside her, lying his hand over hers.

"You really scared me, you know," he whispered quietly to her. "I thought you were gone for good, but I heard Daedalus took care of your wound. He took care of mine, too." he chuckled lightly. "I guess we both tend to get hurt…" he looked at her face, noticing that her scar and black-eye- which were starting to fade- still remained. "Of course, you've been hurt the most…"

The cabin boy sighed, looking away from her. "I… I wish I could do something, to take back all the pain you've been through… make it so you never got any scratches or bruises or anything…"

"You just hate seeing me hurt, don't you?" Tesoro whispered, though her eyes were still shut.

"Tess!" his voice was loud, and he covered his mouth, looking around to make sure he didn't wake anyone. He didn't. He lowered his voice back to a whisper. "How long have you been awake?"

Tesoro smiled. "I don't know. How long have you been holding my hand?" She turned her hand over so that it could hold his. It felt warm, so she guessed he was blushing all over. She lightly chuckled.

Jonesy lightly chuckled, feeling a bit embarrassed, but he held on to Tesoro's hand. There was a long pause between them.

"I heard you saved me and my dad,"

"Yeah… of course, Tyson helped, he caught me before I fell… Then our dad, Silver, he helped pull us up, so… I'm not the only hero."

"My dad said you leaped out and grabbed the rope first, despite your injury. I'd say you're the hero for that. …How's your injury, by the way?"

"It hurts like heck. Yours?"

"It hurts, but the pain is easing down. …Jonesy?"

"Yes, Tess?"

"This is going to sound stupid, but… do you love me? I mean, like, 'in love' love me?" Silence. In the darkness, she couldn't read his expression. "Jones-"

He leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips, then backed away, blushing. "S-sorry, I was t-too nervous to give a s-straight answer."

Tesoro sat up, still holding his hand, and kissed him on the forehead. "It's okay. It was still a great answer."

Morph floated between them, giggling softly. Even in the dark, they knew he had shape-shifted into a heart, floating between them. They chuckled at him, and Jonesy patted him on the head.

"I'd better get back to bed, and let you get some sleep," Jonesy whispered, then kissed her on the lips again. "Good night,"

"'Night," Tesoro whispered, laying back down, Morph snuggling under her chin, watching her love walk away. Did she love him? Yes, it took a while for it to finally show, but yes she did.

0o0o0o0o0

Tyson stayed in the shadows, keeping his eyes dim as Jonesy walked out of Tesoro's room. He smiled, knowing what he was doing in there. _What a Romeo… _he thought.

"Uhh…" someone groaned from across the cave. Using his light-beam in his eyes, he scanned the room, noticing Valerie was curled up, clutching her ribs. He quietly rushed over to her.

"Are ya okay?" he asked, his voice a whisper.

"Of course I am…" Valerie scoffed through clenched teeth, keeping her voice low.

"Ya shouldn't be on solid rock if your ribs are broken."

"Well, what else am I supposed to lay on? …Hey!" Tyson scooped her up gently in his arms, and carried her over to the wall, sitting down, cradling her in his lap. "I was just fine. Now put me down!"

"Oh, hush, before ya wake everyone up." Tyson hugged her, gently so not to irritate her ribs.

"What is it with you? First you say you wanted to hold my hand, then you give me a purp, then you carry me up to the cave, and now you're holding me to make me comfortable. What's your deal?"

"Val, remember when I told ya about deh type of girl I'd like tah be with? …Well, I'm with her now."

_I knew it! _Valerie thought, remembering how Tyson described what type of girl he was into. But she just sat there now, stunned that he had admitted it.

"I like ya, Val. Don't ask me why, but I do. T'ere's somet'in' about ya dat just… well, dat just puts a song in me heart."

"Okay, that couldn't have sounded cheesier. …But, then again, this is _you_ we're talking about." She lied her head against his chest. "Are you always this sentimental?"

Tyson shrugged. "Eh, only with girls and Jonesy."

Valerie chuckled, then turned serious. "Is… Silver your dad?"

"Yes. What tipped ya off?"

"The accent."

Tyson rolled his eyes. "Of course."

"But, I thought your last name was Revlis."

"It is my last name… just spelled backwards."

Valerie thought about it, spelling 'Revlis' backwards. "S-I-L-V-E-R… Silver!"

"Ding ding ding! Tell her what she's won, Johnny!" Tyson chuckled.

"But, why didn't you tell us the truth?"

Tyson sighed, his eyes glowed yellow. "When you're deh son of a wanted man, ya have tah hide a few t'ings."

"Ah." She closed her eyes. "Never thought of that…" she yawned.

"Well, put ya thinking aside an' get some rest now." Tyson rested his head on hers. "It's gonna be a long day tomorrow, findin' out how tah get off t'is planet…"

"My parents will… probably… help…" Valerie drifted to sleep.

"Yeah… hopefully…" Tyson fell asleep, holding the felinid in his arms.

0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: And the questions have been answered! …But, it's not over yet. Oh, no, there's still more action that shall come. Oh, yes, it will come. ;)

Please R/R. If you have a snappy comment about flames, please send it to me.


	28. Chapter 28: Who turned off the gravity?

Am I updating too fast for you guys? (LOL) ;)

_**Reviewer Thanks**_

Anon: Yep. "Sweet" pretty much sums up that chapter.

OMGitsEMILY: I can hear your heart melting from here, : ) glad you like Tess and Jonesy's relationship.

Nims: Darn it! (slaps forehead) I spelled it wrong? Oh, well, mistakes happen, right? And nice impersonation of Silver and Tyson XD

SweetAngel183/Kristen: Don't worry, they'll be getting off the planet soon. Sooner than you think…

Disclaimer: (takes in breath) I-don't-own-Treasure-Planet! (gasp, pant pant!) THERE, I said it!

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Morning came, and sunlight hit Tyson's face, waking him up. He looked down at the sleeping Valerie in his arms, and gently put her on the ground, running his hand through her sleek, black hair. She shifted, smiling in her sleep. He couldn't help but chuckle.

"Quite a girl you've got there," A voice behind him said. He turned around and saw Gene, leaning against the wall and smiling.

Tyson smiled. "I doubt 'girl' would be a proper description fer t'is one," he joked.

As if she heard him, Valerie kicked in her sleep, striking Tyson's shin. Gene laughed. "Better be careful. Most girls aren't so dim, especially in their sleep." he winked.

Tyson rubbed his shin. "Yeah, I guess I forgot dat we was talkin' 'bout Val,"

"YoooOOOWWWWooooo!" A cry came from near Jonesy's room.

"What in deh blue blazes…?" Tyson cried, rushing over to his brother's room, followed by Gene. When they got there, they saw Jonesy's face was all red, smoke pouring out of his mouth, ears, and nostrils, his eyes flashing rings of yellow, red, and orange, and he was fanning his mouth. Louigi was standing next to him, holding a small bottle.

Gene sighed. "Lou… What'd you give him?" He asked, firmly.

"Well, you see, I got up early with-a some of Anthony's men, to help them work-a," Louigi explained. "I decided to check on Jonesy, here, and he was-a already up-a. And after we made our introductions, he asked me if I had-a some of my 'Spicy Spice' on me, and I said 'Yes,' and he said, 'May I try some?' and I warned him that it was too hot-a, but he didn't care, so I handed him a bottle and said to just-a taste a sample size, but…"

"But…?" Tyson urged him.

"I ch-chugged it, (gasp!)" Jonesy said in a raspy voice. "Man… that _was_ hot!"

"I'm surprised your head didn't explode," Gene said, helping Jonesy up. "C'mon, kid, lets get you some water before your mouth catches fire."

"It (gasp, pant) already did."

"I warned you," Louigi sighed, tucking his hot sauce into his pocket for safe keeping.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Jim, Anthony, Silver, Lucinda and Anthony's men got up before sunrise, walking back to the remains of the _CSS MAELSTROM_, deciding to use the remains of the ship to build a new craft to get off the planet, now that the machine was destroyed.

"Finally, after all these years, I can finally get off!" Anthony sighed, happily. "Tell me, Jim, how is your mother, Sarah? Gosh, it's been so long since I've seen her angelic face, her beautiful smile, her gorgeous, stunning eyes… She's all I thought about while I was here- her and you, of course- and… Oh, I can't wait to see her again!" then his smile faded. "Jim… do you think she still loves me?"

Jim thought about it. He remembered how he saw that his mother was crying when he left, the sad look on her face as she worked that day… "She misses you, I guess," Jim replied, shrugging. "But, whether or not she loves you… That's hard for me to say."

Anthony nodded. "I remember when I told her I was leaving for a while. We got into a fight the night before after I did, she was yelling at me, saying how I was missing seeing you grow up…" he looked at Jim. "I see that she was right. My, how the years fly by when you're stranded. Anyway, I slept on the couch that night, and I was out the door once she got up… We never got the chance to make up…"

Jim put his hand on his father's shoulder. "Well, you will now, once we get back to Montressor."

"Um, Jimbo?" Silver asked, standing in front of them. "Where, exactly, did your ship land?"

Jim walked past the cyborg. "Right over-" he gasped.

The ship was gone.

"But… how?" Anthony stammered. "It was right there!"

Lucinda felt a shadow pass over her, and she looked up, and her jaw dropped. "Um, guysss? I think I found the ship…"

Everyone looked up and gasped. "I think… we'd better get back to the cave."

And they ran.

0o0o0o0o0

Jonesy was sitting outside the cave, finally cooled down. BEN and Morph were sitting next to him, playing checkers on a beat-up game board, using pebbles and small walnuts as pieces. The cabin boy was smiling, looking out at the morning sun, thinking about last night. He sighed deeply.

"Ha!" BEN exclaimed, moving his pebble over one of Morph's walnuts, and swiping it up. "Thought you made a safe move, didn't you?"

Morph studied BEN's move, then picked up an acorn and jumped over 4 of his pieces, on to the far end of the checker board. "King me!" he exclaimed, turning into a little crown in gloating.

BEN sneered, then whacked the board away. "Eh, checkers is overrated, anyway." He looked over at Jonesy. "Hey, Jonesy, you okay? You've been awfully quiet."

"Oh, I'm fantastic!" Jonesy exclaimed, leaping up into the air. "Everything is going so great! I've found my family, I've found love… I feel like I'm walking on air!"

"Um, Jonesy? …You are walking on air… Whoa!"

Jonesy looked over, seeing that BEN was floating up beside him… in the air! "Yikes! We're… We're floating!"

"Eek!" Morph screamed, then turned into a lasso and roped Jonesy's ankle, as the cabin boy grabbed BEN, and pulled them down. They ran into the cave, floating up once Morph let go, and they were on the ceiling once they were inside.

"Hey! Who turned off the gravity?" Valerie cried, lying on her back on the ceiling.

"It must be the planet!" BEN said. "It's gotta be! Destroying the machine must've given off some sort of whacked-out side-effect!"

"That would sound ridiculous if I didn't believe it."

"Whoa! How'd I end up on the ceiling?" Tesoro called from her room. She crawled out, joining the others.

"The gravity polarity is reversed!" BEN told her, checking calculations in his built in computer system. "A side-effect from the machine!"

"Is everyone alright?" Natalie called, climbing out from another room in the cave. "Tesoro?"

"I'm fine." Tesoro replied.

"What the devil is going on?" Tyson shouted, walking upside-down on the ceiling. "Did the gravity turn off, or something?"

"That would sum it up." BEN said.

"What's going on?" Gene asked as he and Louigi crawled into the room.

"Okay, listen because I'm only going to say this one more time!" BEN shouted, irritated with having to repeat himself. "Destroying the machine gave off an affect on the gravitational polarity of Xenta, and now it's reversed, so instead of being sucked onto the planet, we're being forced to float off!"

"Oh, no!" Louigi gasped. "Jim and the others are out there!"

"What?" Everyone else shouted, rushing over to the mouth of the cave.

"Look!" Jonesy pointed over to a small group, leaping toward trees and hanging on. "There they are!"

They watched as all the men (and Lucinda) grabbed onto bushes, large boulders, and trees over to the trees. One of the men undershot his jump and floated upward.

"Lloyd!" Another man shouted, watching his friend float away. "Nooooooo!"

"Keep moving, Harry!" Anthony called to him. "It's too late to help him, now!"

Lucinda leaped toward a boulder close to the cave, clinging on to it. She grabbed onto the largest rocks closest to her, climbing upward toward the cave, with the rest of the men following. She was at least five feet from the mouth. She decided to chance it.

She didn't make it. "Augh!" she screamed, floating upward.

"Hang on!" Tesoro cried, leaping out and grabbing on to Lucinda. Surprisingly, rather than floating upward, they hovered in midair. "What the…?"

"How are you doing that?"

"It's the force!" BEN cried, happily. Everyone looked at him, quizzically. "Er, that is, the planet is using more force on heavier objects,"

"Just like it used more force on larger crafts!" Valerie added.

"And since I'm a lightweight…" Tesoro said, getting the point. "I have an advantage!"

"Good for you," Lucinda said, rolling her eyes. "Now, could you get usss into the cave?"

"Here, grab my hand!" Jonesy called to Tesoro, reaching out of the cave to her. She reached back, kicking her legs to 'air-swim' closer. Morph transformed into a hand and grabbed her, helping pull her closer to the cabin boy. He grabbed her arm and pulled her and Lucinda in.

Lucinda turned to Tesoro. "Thankssss,"

She shrugged. "No prob-"

"JIM!" Natalie shrieked. Everyone looked out, noticing Jim was hanging on to a small branch of a tree, being pulled upward.

"Dad!" Tesoro cried. She tried to run out to him, but Jonesy held her back.

"Don't! Even with your lightweight, you wouldn't be able to get to him!"

She squirmed out of his arms. "I have to try!" She climbed down the wall, holding on to the edge of the cave for support.

"Tesoro!" Tyson called down to her, forcefully. She looked up at him, noticing his eyes were yellow. "Be careful."

She nodded and leaped out, floating upward, but then floating back down. She leaped again, farther, and landed again, as if she were moon walking. _This would be fun if Dad wasn't in danger! _She leaped toward the tree where Jim was hanging on for dear life, and jumped up, using the reverse-polarity for her advantage, and grabbing his hand right as the branch he was hanging on to broke! (whew!) She hung on to the tree, pulling him down to the ground.

"Thanks, Tess," Jim said, hanging on to his daughter as they leaped over to a boulder. They were almost to the cave when something dropped down in front of them, causing Jim to let go. "Whoa!"

"Dad! …Not again…" Tesoro groaned, looking up. She gasped at what floated above her.

Hovering lower to the planet, a rope-ladder hanging off the edge, was the _SLR DESTINY_.

0o0o0o0o0o0

"Lloyd, you're alive!" Was the first thing everyone heard as Harry rushed over to his fellow crew-mate, hugging him.

"How did you guys get here?" Valerie asked Elizabeth, hands on hips but smiling with relief.

"We talked Mom into letting us assist with the rescue." Elizabeth said, shrugging. "I mean, we weren't going to let you have _all_ the fun."

Valerie hugged her sister. "Thanks,"

Amelia stepped up to Natalie. "I must say, you're action was rash, irresponsible, and unorthodox…" She said firmly, but smiled. "But then, of course, if you haven't done such, we wouldn't have reached the planet safely, with the reverse gravity and all…"

"How did you know about the gravity change?" Natalie asked.

Amelia pointed outward at the _MAELSTROM_ (or what remained of it) floating through space. "We saw that floating away as we came near… and noticed a lack of suction as well." She turned to Jim. "You've married an incredible woman, James."

"Well, actually," Jim said, clearing his throat. "It should be my daughter you should be thanking, Amelia. She was the one who found _this_," he handed her the notebook about the machine.

Delbert and Eric took the notebook, reading over it. "Incredible!" they both exclaimed, studying with awe all the blueprints and notes.

"Well, Tesoro," Amelia said, turning to the young girl. "I suppose I owe you thanks."

Tesoro shrugged. "I couldn't have done it without your kids, and the Silver Boys." she replied, nodding at the Doppler offspring, and looking over at Jonesy and Tyson.

"_Silver_ Boys?" That's when she noticed Silver, who was trying to blend in with the crowd. "YOU!"

"Uh, now Captain, I know we've had some issues in deh past-" Silver stammered as Amelia approached him, but Jim stepped between them.

"Amelia, please," Jim said, then sighed. "I'll explain later,"

"You'll explain _now_," Amelia said, sternly.

Jim sighed, then explained how the cyborg at saved his life and that he had let him go.

Amelia stared in disbelief. "James Hawkins! How could you let such a scoundrel go?"

Natalie stepped up to Amelia, arms crossed. "Beg your pardon, Amelia, but this 'scoundrel' had saved my husbands life, _and_ shaped him into the man you see before you today! Jim had a good reason to let Silver go."

Amelia's ears folded back, her eyes glowering. "One good deed doesn't-" she began, but Natalie raised her hand to silence her.

"I thought the same thing, Amelia. But he's changed now,"

"How can I trust your judgment?"

"Well, if you can't trust our judgment, just look over at his sons," Jim said, nodding toward Tyson and Jonesy. "They don't seem like the pirating types to me, plus they took care of my daughter during the voyage."

Amelia looked at the two boys who were walking over, and sighed. "Very well, I'll trust your judgment. …But Silver still has a sentence to serve-"

"No!" Jonesy yelled. He hugged Silver. "You can't!"

"Please, ma'am!" Tyson begged. "I've lost me dad once, I can't lose him again!"

Amelia sighed. "Fine. Normally, I wouldn't have done this, but hearing so many testimonies, I suppose I could let Silver's sentence be declined. …But he will have to stay in prison for 18 months, for his past crimes."

Jim was about to protest, but Silver put a hand on his shoulder. "Ah, don't fret, Jimbo," Silver said, chuckling. "18 months in prison is better than death." He looked at his sons, who had sad looks on their faces. "That is, as long as you both visit me."

Jonesy smiled. "You can count on us, dad!" he said.

"Of course!" Tyson said. "…That is, unless we're too busy."

"Yeah, taking up pirating might side-track us." Jonesy and Tyson laughed, and Silver tussled their hair.

"I see you've both got me sense o' humor." He chuckled.

"Say, where's Anthony?" Natalie asked, looking around.

Jim looked up, seeing his father standing on the mast. "Hang on," he told his wife, climbing up the shrouds.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Anthony watched as Jim stepped in front of Silver, protecting him from Amelia's wrath. _You two have quite a bond, don't you, Jim? _he thought. He watched as Jonesy ran over and hugged his dad, and Tyson spoke to Amelia. He smiled, thinking of how nice it would feel if his son stuck up for him, too.

Moments later, Jim climbed up to him, sitting by his side. "Suddenly feeling anti-social?" Jim asked, teasingly.

"What, did you think you got it from your mother?" Anthony joked, and he and his son joined together in a laugh. He sighed. "Just waiting for things to calm down. I'm not too much into huge welcomes… especially since I haven't been in a big crowd of people in years."

"Well, time to get used to it," Jim said, grabbing his father's hand, urging him to stand up with him. "Because there's going to be a lot of huge welcomes when we get home."

Anthony sighed. "You were always a stubborn boy, Jim. I guess now you've become a stubborn man." He smiled.

Jim scoffed. "I get it from you." He smiled back.

Together, they climbed down from the mast, into the crowd.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: Aaaaaaaaaugh! It can't be almost over already, can it? …Yeah, it can. Please R/R, but no flames, got it?


	29. Chapter 29: A Disney Styled Happy Ending

Oh, no… It- It can't be! …It's… It's… THE LAST CHAPTER! NOOOOO!

So, enjoy it while you still can! ;D

_**Reviewer Thanks**_

Anon, OMGitsEMILY, Kristen/SweetAngel183, and Nims: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews, for not sending flames, for sending me some ideas, and for staying loyal to my story. You are all wonderful, and… MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR! (pops champagne bottle)

Disclaimer: You know how it goes. Let's skip it and get on with the story!

0o0o0o0o0o0

The spaceport was coming near, and Jonesy sighed heavily. He was happy that he had found his brother, his father, and love… he just wished the voyage didn't have to end so soon. Morph sat on his shoulder, snuggled against his neck.

"Quite some trip, eh Morphy?" Jonesy said, petting the pink blob with his finger. "Meeting new people, saving the universe from an evil planet's wrath… and now it's all going to be over in just a couple hours. (Sigh), I wish it didn't have to end."

"That makes two of us," Jonesy turned and saw Elizabeth standing behind him. He stood up straight, in her respect. She chuckled. "You don't have to be so proper, Jonesy. …Unless I say so, that is." she smiled.

"Oh," he relaxed a little. "O-Okay. …So, (ahem) what brings you out on the deck this time of night?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "I was about to ask you the same thing. Just to think, I suppose."

Jonesy nodded. "Same here."

"You know, it's funny. When we launched, I wasn't sure whether I could captain a ship or not. I was a tad nervous…"

His eyes widened. "_You_? But, you were leading with such authority as your mother would have!"

"Yes, I had to show my leadership in order to be a leader. If I would have shown how nervous I was, no one on this ship would listen to me."

"Tess and I would have, and your brother and sisters."

"Yes, but five people wouldn't be enough to run a ship. But, I guess, now I see, that I was worried over nothing."

"Only because you showed stunning leadership. You listened to Valerie's ideas, you allowed Tesoro to become a sailor in the end, and you saved us all from floating to an early grave." He laid a hand on her shoulder. "You, my dear Captain, were truly amazing."

"Did I give you the command to put a hand on me?" Her stern voice surprised Jonesy, but then she smiled, showing she was joking. "Just kidding. …Thank you, Jonesy." She walked away back to her quarters.

"Makin' pleasantries with deh Captain, are ya now?" A voice asked.

"Hello, Tyson." Jonesy said, smiling and turning to his brother, and he gasped. "Oh! Hey, Tess."

"Hey, Jonesy," Tesoro replied, walking up to him, blushing (again!) and smiling.

"Well, (ahem)," Tyson said, awkwardly. "I t'ink I'll so see what Dad's up tah." And he walked away.

Jonesy chuckled. "What was _that_ all about?" he asked, watching his brother leave.

"We were talking earlier…" Tesoro said, rubbing her arm and looking down at the ground. "We overheard my dad talking…"

"Eavesdropping, huh?"

She smiled. "Yeah. …Anyway, he said something about your dad…" her smile faded. "He's… he's not going to jail."

Jonesy smiled, but it faded when he saw the serious look on her face. "What… what's wrong with that?"

She sighed, heavily. "They have a new order for him, and it includes a lot of travel and…" she turned away.

Jonesy's eyes began to mist with tears. "Where… where is he heading?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. But my mom said it was probably the worst punishment they could issue, something far too rash for him to deserve." She turned to him, eyes watering. "I'm sorry."

Jonesy bit his fist, trying hard not to cry. "Are… are you serious?"

"Well, that's not _all_ I heard." She motioned the cabin boy closer, and whispered in his ear. He nodded, tears falling from his eyes. "…Now, since you guys won't have anywhere else to go, my dad wants to know… _I_ want to know…"

"What?"

She looked up at him, her eyes full of hope. "Will you come with us? …I asked Tyson the same thing, but he said he wouldn't go unless _you_ wanted to. …So, what do you say?"

He looked at her, tears falling from his eyes. _I can't believe… I mean, they said… Oh, geez… _he couldn't think clearly. He was already filled with powerful emotions, which rendered him speechless.

Tesoro looked at him, concerned. "Jones- Gack!"

He picked her up and hugged her tight, spinning around. When he stopped, he held on to her, burying his face in her shoulder. "I wish you hadn't said that," he sobbed. "I don't know whether to be happy… or just cry."

"Something tells me you chose to cry." She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into his scrawny chest. "…I'm sorry. Again." Only, since her voice was muffled, it was more like, "I horry, ahain."

"It's okay. …At least, I'll be with you and Tyson."

She looked up at him and smiled. "R-Really?"

He nodded. "Really really."

She let out a small laugh and squeezed him tighter.

"Ack! …Tesoro! I can't breathe." She released him. "(Gasp!) Thank you. Heh, heh." He put his arm around her, and they stood on the deck the rest of the night, watching the spaceport near.

Tyson and Valerie had been watching them from on top of the mast, and the felinid elbowed him in the arm. "Why can't you be that sweet?" she asked sternly, yet jokingly.

"Oh, shaddap, before I push ya off deh mast." Tyson scoffed, smiling. He put his arm around her, but she pushed him away. He looked at her, eyes orange.

"Don't think I'm the type of girl you can just put the moves on, bub," She smiled and put her arm around him. "I'm not that kind of girl."

He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. "Nah, ya ain't, but you _are_ my kind of girl. …Until I find someone better." he chuckled.

She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, silencing him. "Good luck with that," she grinned, grabbed a rope, and swung down.

Tyson put a hand on his cheek, a smile spreading across his face, and he felt himself blush. "Yep. You're one o' a kind, Val… and just me type."

0o0o0o0o0o0

_Two weeks later…_

"Silver, have you made your peace?" Amelia asked the cyborg.

Silver nodded. "Aye."

She sighed. "Well, good luck, Silver. …You'll need it." And she left him on the deck.

Silver walked toward a door. He thought 18 months in prison would be fair enough, but Amelia had thought up a more suitable 'punishment' for him. He was to serve on a ship for the rest of his life, never allowed to go home (not that he had one, anymore) or settle down with his boys. He walked in to meet the captain.

"Well, it's about time you got here," Jim said, sitting behind a desk and smiling.

"Well, Jimbo, you're in charge of me now, huh?" Silver asked, chuckling.

"My, how the tables have turned." Jim chuckled, and shook Silver's organic hand. "Great to have you aboard, Silver."

"Glad tah be aboard, Jim… Er, Captain."

"You'll be regretting it soon," Natalie said, smiling. "With the way _he_ captains a ship."

Jim rolled his eyes, but smiled. "She's just jealous because I get to boss her around." He put his arm around her. "Just like I used to." He turned back to Silver. "And, please, Silver, we're friends. You have permission to call me by my name."

Silver grinned. "Whatever ya say, Jimbo. So! What back-breaking job are ya going tah put be up tah?"

"Well, we need a better cook." Natalie suggested.

"What do you say, Silver?" Jim asked. "Care to go back to cooking?"

Silver shrugged. "Eh, better t'an not'in'."

Jim smiled. "Good, because we have the perfect cabin boys picked out for you. They should be in the galley, now."

Silver walked down to the galley, and Jim was right when he said he picked out the 'perfect' cabin boys: his own sons. "Hey, Dad's here!" Jonesy exclaimed, throwing a pan he was washing into the sink and running over to hug his father.

"So, did Mr. Hawkins assign ya as a cabin boy too?" Tyson asked, sneering, but he smiled. He knew what his father's job was going to be.

"Sorry, lads, but it looks like I'll be in charge of deh both of ya." Silver chuckled, putting his arms around both his sons.

"Eh, it's better than having Tyson in charge." Jonesy joked, nudging his brother.

"Heh, we'll see about dat. …Now, lets get tah work!"

"Aye, pap!" Tyson said, saluting his father. He knew he was going to miss being in charge of others, but he had missed his dad more. …Besides, it was better than working for the last cook he was with, 12 years ago.

The new ship, _SJP ARROW, _previously built and owned by Amelia (in honor of her late-first mate) and now owned by the Hawkins, soared through the galaxy, bound to go wherever the winds would take it.

"Man, I'm glad I quit the merchant-business." Jim sighed as they sailed.

Natalie hooked her arm around her husband's arm. "So am I." she said.

"Ditto." Tesoro said, standing at the helm. "We should have done this a long time ago!"

"So, why didn't you ask?" Jim joked. His daughter sneered at him, but the smile returned to her face. She not only was a sailor now, but also a sailor on her dad's ship.

_Dreams really do come true. _Tesoro thought. "By the way, Dad, what happened to Grandpa?"

Jim smiled slightly. "He's back where he wants to be. …I just hope he's doing all right."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

_Nobody ever lied straight to your face_

Anthony stood at the door of the Benbow Inn that evening. It was after closing, and it was time he met his wife. _C'mon, Anthony, you can do this! _he told himself, forcing his hand to knock on the door. He had gotten a clean shave, showered the grime off his skin, and bought a new suit, but the new, clean feeling didn't wash away his nervousness as he heard footsteps and the door opened, and he faced his wife.

_And nobody ever stabbed you in the back_

Sarah rubbed her eyes. Certainly she had been working too hard. But, no, it wasn't a hallucination. Her husband stood before her. "A-Anthony? Is it really you?" she asked, in total disbelief.

"Hello, Sarah," Anthony said, smiling softly. "I'm back-"

Sarah slapped him across the face.

_You might think I'm happy, but I'm not going to be okay_

"I deserved that." Anthony said, rubbing the throbbing, red handprint on the side of his face.

"You… you idiot!" Sarah snapped, tears welling up in her eyes. She began to sob, and she hugged him. "I thought you'd never come home…"

"Don't think I deserved that." Anthony muttered, surprised.

"What… what happened to you? Where did you go? Where have you been all these years? Do you have any idea-"

"Dear, I've already gone through this with Jim," He placed his hands gently on her shoulders. "I don't want to go through it with you. Believe me, that would be worse than what Xenta had to offer."

_Everybody always gave you what you wanted_

Sarah gasped. "You mean… All these years…?"

Anthony nodded. "I've been stranded, yes. …But thanks to our son, I'm home. To stay. …That is, if you still want me."

Sarah slapped him again. "Don't be ridiculous!" She then linked her arm in his. "Of course I want you back. To stay. …Plus, I need some help around the Inn."

_You never had to work it was always there_

Anthony smiled. "It's the least I could do."

"Now, come inside. You look like you haven't had a decent thing to eat in years!" She guided him into the Inn.

"I haven't."

_No you don't know what it's like, what it's like…_

She laughed, and he smiled wide. Even with graying hair and a few wrinkles, Sarah still had the angelic face Anthony had fallen in love with. And he knew, from that day on, that he would get to see it, every day.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Tesoro, Jonesy, and Tyson stood at the bough of the ship, watching the sky dim to orange as the sun began to go down. "So, what do you think this voyage has planned for us this time?" Jonesy asked.

_To be hurt_

Tesoro shrugged. "Probably just more excitement." she said.

_To feel lost_

"And maybe a few threats, with _our_ luck," Tyson added.

_To be left out in the dark_

Jonesy grinned. "Just another adventure, huh?"

_To be kicked, when you're down_

"Nah, we's talkin' about tourin'." Tyson nudged him, and he nudged back.

_To feel like you've been pushed around._

"Well, wherever the wind takes us, they'd better be prepared." Tesoro said, grinning.

"Especially with _us_ on deh way," Tyson boasted.

"They won't know what hit 'em!" Jonesy exclaimed.

Tesoro turned on the radio, and a familiar song came on.

_To be on the edge of breaking down, with no one there to save you,_

_No you don't know what it's like_

_Welcome to my life…_

_Welcome to my life…_

"Welcome to my life!" Tesoro, Jonesy, and Tyson sang together, then burst out laughing. And their laughter could be heard, echoing through the Etherium as their ship sailed away.

And they wouldn't have it any other way.

**The End**

0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! *wipes away tear* I'm a sap for happy endings. Please R/R. Flames are forbidden.


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